Superstitious Security
by PiecesInTheirGames
Summary: There's always that place, far in the depths of your mind that still holds that childhood fear of monsters. You never expect them to come crawling out of your nightmares and into reality. Penny, the oldest daughter of Hershel Greene, thought it would be relatively safe on the farm. Until the group arrive seeming intent on destroying the life they were trying to hold on to. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

Superstitious security

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.

-Helen Keller

When you're a child, your parents tell you about the monsters under the bed so that you don't get out in the middle of the night. From then on, your Daddy is forced to check every night; closet, bed, behind the dresser- just to be sure. Eventually though, you come to realise that the only sanctuary, the only place you truly feel safe, is in your parents' bed. The monsters can't hurt you there. In hindsight, your parents probably regret telling you the story in the first place but even when they admit to you that the monsters aren't real, the damage is done.

When you've grown up and gotten your own place, far away from the safety net that is your parents, you have to deal with those monsters on your own. Of course, by then you've accepted that the monsters are just in your imagination. They can't climb out from under your bed because they didn't exist in the first place. But there's always that place, far in the depths of your mind -the same place where the so called irrational fear of the dark dwells- that still holds that childhood fear. The fear of the monsters.

So what happens when the monsters stop visiting in your nightmares, and become reality?

It's easy to be naïve about the end of the world when you're tucked away in a century's old farmhouse, in the country, surrounded by the same four walls that always kept you safe. Cut off from the rest of society, you don't truly understand what exactly is going on and so you wait, carry on as you always have. You can't pretend it's not happening forever though. And when the most innocent trip into town turns deadly, that's when you know that this time, there is no waking up.

-8-

There was something that still felt very surreal to Penny about standing in the roof of a barn and feeding live chickens to 15 people. Of course, whether they were still classed as people was a matter of opinion. The bone-chilling groans they released, which increased in volume and almost enthusiasm as they looked up to see her standing above them, definitely pushed them towards the non-human category. The hideous, festering wounds that covered the majority of them also supported this- wounds that would be enough to kill the average person.

The funny thing about the wounds is that they had indeed been enough to kill these people. Every 'person' in the barn had died; no movement, no pulse… nothing. Yet here they were, walking around in the enclosed space practically begging Penny to feed them. Their rotting hands were reached up as if they could pull her down from the rafters. She picked up the bag of wriggling chickens and, with practised precision, spilled the contents directly into the middle of the group. Of course, they would much prefer that it was human flesh they were being treated to.

Penny despised this task more than any other of the farm's chores. Sometimes it was easy for her to pretend that people weren't getting 'sick' and turning into cannibals. She could almost forget the changed faces of Annette and Shawn… forget that they were locked up in the barn with various others that were once considered friends and family. She could see them standing below her, reaching into a mass of feathers and blood to get their own helping of guts to devour. Penny couldn't see them as her loved ones. She tried, really she did but these 'people' were now so disfigured, and almost decomposed, to the point that they were unrecognisable.

The sight of them weakened her faith; even the mere thought of them was enough for her to want to give up hope. With each passing day, it was getting harder for Penny to keep accepting what her Father was saying about the cure coming any time now; there had to be people working on it somewhere right? Well that was the belief her Father still held on to. Penny however was slowly beginning to wonder if they were the only un-infected people still left in this world.

Of course she never voiced her opinions to anyone; what was the point in shattering her sister who was still clinging to the hope that these people would get better? Beth was only sixteen and Penny knew it would destroy her to hear that the chances of her mother and brother getting better were next to none. She couldn't do that to her; not until there was no other option.

Maggie however was a different story. The fact that there were only three years between Penny and Maggie meant that they had always been close growing up, a bond that only strengthened when their mother passed away. They had both been so young when it happened that the two started to rely on each other more than typical siblings would. So even though the two had never spoken of it, Penny was aware that Maggie too was beginning to see the flaws in their father's story.

With a sigh that again attracted the attention of some of the 'sick people' below, Penny walked away and climbed back down the ladder into the fresh air; eager to turn her back away so that the urge to look at them was no longer there. It was an instant relief. The smell in the barn was so disgusting that she could still taste it even after gulps of the clean air outside; it smelled like death.

Penny pulled her long, brown hair out of its ponytail and shook it slightly as if trying to shake the smell out of it. She knew that she didn't smell like them, in her head at least but she still felt like the stench would sink in to her every pore. As she walked towards the old farmhouse that was the Greene family residecne, she rubbed her hands down her shirt and along her arms, trying to rid it from there too instead of allowing it in her home.

-8-

"So Dad caught you an' Jimmy again, huh?" Maggie teased her younger sister as they stood, chopping vegetables on the kitchen counter, a knowing smirk plastered on her face.

"Not like we were actually doing anythin'." Beth retorted.

"Right, his pants were round his ankles 'cause you were checking for bites again huh?" Penny questioned as she entered the room but Beth didn't respond, instead choosing to roll her eyes at her older sisters' teasing. She was long since used to the way they would team up against her.

It had sometimes been hard for Beth, growing up as the youngest Greene girl. The age gap between herself and her sisters meant she would often feel left out or overlooked by the older girls. It also meant that Beth tried to compensate by acting a lot older than most people her age to keep up with Penny and Maggie; which helped explain why she thought running off to find some entertainment with her slightly older boyfriend, behind the stables, was a good thing.

"Need any help with those?" Penny asked, pointing to the remaining pile of carrots that Beth was currently working on.

"Almost done."

"That what Jimmy said?"

Beth blushed furiously at Maggie's comment and Penny couldn't help but laugh at the playful bickering that followed. It was one of those moments when Penny forgot. The world outside didn't matter and it was just her and her sisters, teasing one another about trivial, non-life threatening things.

"All I'm saying Beth is that if you need one of us to keep Dad distracted for a little while, all you have to do is ask," Maggie said, her tone still taking on the same teasing, playfulness it had earlier but Penny rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, let's all lie to Dad and encourage Beth to go have sex at sixteen," she replied lightly but the sarcasm coloured her tone. "That won't cause any problems at all."

"Oh and how old were you? Fourteen was it?"

"I think you're mixing my past up with your own there, Maggs."

Maggie merely smiled in response, not bothering to correct her since it was a losing argument. Neither girl had been a saint in their teenage years but Maggie had definitely taken the top spot.

"Do I not get a say in this?" Beth cut in with a smile of her own, completely untroubled by having to remind her sisters she was standing with them. It was good to hear them talking about their pasts again. Four weeks ago, she would never have thought it possible.

"No, you're staying virginal till you're thirty," Penny told her in the most patronising way she could manage whilst patting the top of Beth's head causing the younger girl to jerk away and scowl despite the smile still fully in place.

"Little too late for that," Beth muttered in return, just loud enough for her sisters to hear, making Maggie laugh again and Penny stare at her in open-mouthed disbelief. "What? Did you actually think we were checking for bites?" Coming from her soft-faced baby sister, the comment was too much and Penny relented, joining in with the laughter that filled the kitchen. It felt good to laugh, a relief for them all for the first time in what felt like forever.

They were still in the same position when Patricia walked into the kitchen, not too long after. Instantly she could feel the atmosphere in the house had lightened; a result no doubt of what she was seeing before her. They'd all been tense lately but the sisters especially; losing their mother and brother within the space of two days had broken them. Of course, they'd all loved Annette and Shawn but that kind of loss wasn't particularly new to the older family members.

"Everythin' ok in here?" Patricia's gentle voice broke through.

Upon hearing the addition to the conversation, the sisters managed to reign in their amusement, settling for knowing grins and sly looks. "Yeah, we're good," Penny told her, even managing a genuine smile of reassurance.

"Alright," Patricia replied, looking between them. "Keep it that way. Your father will be in soon. It'll be a nice change to not hear the three of you bickering." She received three nodding heads in reply, a response she was happy enough with.

"Where'd Dad go anyway?" It was something that had been bothering Penny for the past few hours when she first noticed her father's absence. "Need to talk to him about painting my room." She spoke, absently while wandering over to the sink to fill a pan with water.

"You're painting your room?" asked Maggie.

"Does that mean you're staying?" Beth questioned immediately causing Penny to grin at her; she couldn't decide whether her youngest sister looked relieved or apprehensive.

"Can't really go back to Atlanta, where else I got to go?" She answered Beth first. "And I'm sick of my room looking like an old person's home."

"Well it was Dad who decorated when you left…" Maggie responded causing the others in the room to smirk at the implications.

"I need to have a long talk with that man."

"He went up to the cattle field. One of them got sick or somethin'," said Patricia, finally getting the opportunity to answer Penny's earlier question but something about her response troubled the eldest sister as she turned to face Patricia.

"By himself?"

"He took Jimmy; and Otis headed out that way with them before he went huntin' I think," Patricia corrected, trying to appease her. Penny nodded, allowing the subject to move on but her expression gave away her thoughts. "Stop worryin', he'll be back soon enough."

"I know," she replied but she couldn't help but wish 'soon enough' was right that minute. It wasn't about her thinking her father unable to protect himself, she knew he could, but the thought of him being out in the fields surrounded by cattle made Penny a little nervous- and rightly so. The 'illness' that was turning people into cannibals was passed on through a bite, that much Penny knew for certain, but then when they turned it was noise that attracted them; the only things close by that made much noise were the cattle.

"So what colour were you thinking of?" Beth asked, pulling Penny out of her mind and successfully changing the subject back to something that didn't bring with it thoughts of death and plague.

-8-

When late-afternoon arrived, so did the return of Hershel and Jimmy which seemed to again lift the atmosphere once it was clear they were both safe and the family was together; the only exception being Otis. The sun was still clear and Penny gazed out of the kitchen window longingly, wishing she could sit on the front porch for a little while instead of cleaning the large collection of dishes they'd all managed to gather from an early dinner.

She didn't acknowledge her father at first as he picked up a towel and began to dry the now spotless dishes she had placed on the side. They carried on in comfortable silence until Penny caught Hershel's gaze lingering on her. "What?" She questioned with a bemused smile.

Hershel studied her for a moment longer, "Is everything ok?" He finally asked.

"Yes," Penny replied, voice rising slightly at the end of the word; making it sound more like a question. "Should something be wrong?"

"No, just Patricia mentioned you were worried before."

Penny only smiled in response, her eyes briefly flickering to meet her father's to find the worry she had been feeling reflected in his familiar features. "I always worry, Daddy. Should know that by now."

"That's true. You're too much like your mother in that sense."

"Well Annette always said I was too much like you. I'm tryna mix it up a little."

"It's most definitely working," Hershel told her causing Penny to smirk at him in a way that truly did remind him of her mother and it still caused the same jolt in his heart as it did every time he saw it. It was even worse now with all three of his daughters growing into women so similar to both of his late wives. It was equally heart-warming and devastating. "So, it was the cattle thing was it? That was worrying you?"

"It wasn't so much the cattle being sick, no."

"But it was that I'd gone out there to see to it."

Penny sighed, finally putting down the dish cloth to give her father her full attention. "Dad, you're a grown man. It's not my place to tell you what to do," seeing Hershel not planning to respond, Penny carried on. "I just panicked for one small moment. Those… people, they scare me Dad. Seeing Annette and Shawn like that… I just don't know what we'd do without you."

"Penny…"

"I know, this place is safe. I'm being ridiculous," she finished with a humourless laugh that was more out of embarrassment than anything but her father shook his head, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"No, you're being responsible. That's never a bad thing, sweetheart," Hershel told her, gently. "I guess living in that city did more good than-"

"DAD!"

The rest of Hershel's sentence was interrupted by the loud yell from outside which the two instantly knew to be Maggie. Penny glanced at her father in question before immediately following him out of the kitchen only to be met by Maggie running into the dining room, binoculars in hand.

"There's a man. There's a man running across the field. He looks like he's carrying something," her sentences were panicked, hurried, and Hershel swiftly moved past her to the front door. The family all spilled onto the porch, eager to see what exactly was happening, in time to see a man approaching the house, wearing what looked to be a sheriff's hat. He was indeed carrying something. A boy. A young boy who was covered in what looked to be fresh blood.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – _Well I look up to god but I see trouble 'cause this ain't a miracle._

"_Was he bit?"_

"_Shot. By your man."_

Penny paced up and down the porch, alternating between crossing her arms and staring through the binoculars to watch for Maggie's return. She still wasn't sure how the day had gone from being average to near disastrous in the space of two short minutes. All she did seem to know at that moment was that a stranger had carried his half dead son into her home, forcing her father to use his veterinarian skills on a young boy. The worse thing was it hadn't ended there.

_Maggie had stepped up to Rick as Otis and the other man, Shane, prepared to head off to the high school to find the equipment needed to save Carl's life. "Where is she? Your wife."_

_Penny looked up sharply at her younger sister from her spot next to the window. She knew that look- the one of pure determination. "Maggs," she called out, trying to warn her not to do exactly what she was thinking of. Rick paused for a moment, a look of confusion etched on his face; he was working out what she was offering too. But Maggie wasn't paying attention._

"_No way Maggie," Penny told her as she stood to approach her._

"_Penny she needs to be here. You heard Dad. The boy needs his Mom," Maggie replied, urging Penny to understand; they both knew all too well how much the presence of a mother could affect everything. If losing their own mother but then gaining one in Annette had taught them anything, it was exactly that._

"_Well someone else can go…"_

"_Who?" Maggie countered. "There's no one else and no time to argue over it." She was right of course. They'd all heard the cries of agony coming from the young boy, he needed his Mom more than ever and his Mom had every right to be there. The only thing worse than your child going through something like that, was not knowing that they were and then not being there to hold their hand. "I'll take a horse, I'm the best rider and you know it. I can take care of myself."_

_Penny sighed in frustration, torn between allowing her own sister to ride out into the unknown but helping a family and keeping her own family safe and together at the cost of someone else's. "I'm coming with you."_

"_I can't fit three of us on Merrick and he's the best in woodland areas." _

_As Penny tried to figure a way around that, Patricia stepped out of the bedroom in which Hershel was working. "Penny, your father needs another bowl of hot water and then he wants you in here." She watched as Patricia disappeared back into the room after her father had called out something before glancing at Maggie._

"_See you're needed here. You're better at that stuff, more experienced. Go help Carl and I'll get his Mom. Please."_

The argument had been solid, with no room for contradiction leaving Penny little choice but to give in. They were playing their strengths and so they would each do what they did best but that didn't mean Penny didn't experience the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that went hand in hand with dread. Watching her sister ride off, alone, in the unknown was pushing her past merely anxious. It wasn't healthy to start thinking of things that could go wrong but now that both Maggie and Otis had left and she had nothing else to do given that her medical experience only went so far, the mind started to wander.

Otis was in the more serious situation out of the two. The High school he and Shane were _visiting_ was over-run with infected people. Otis had had more experience with them than anyone on the farm but one was a handful on its own- what would 100 be like? Despite this, Penny knew Otis was doing what he felt he had to. He had been the one to shoot the boy; the guilt was visibly crushing him even if it had been nothing more than a terrible accident. She supposed if she more like her father, she would pray in times like these- that's what she should do- but despite her religious upbringing, there was always something that hadn't quite stuck with her. She'd always been a more practical person, choosing to help the situation herself rather than wait for someone else to intervene. But this time she was helpless.

Penny once again ran her gaze across the edge of the far field, where the trees were lined against it, trying to spot her sister emerging but still there was nothing. Then again, it was possible she wouldn't be coming back the same way; if she had found Rick's wife, Lori, then maybe they would follow the road. Whilst explaining Lori's whereabouts to Maggie, it emerged just how many people Rick was travelling with. There were eleven of them in total, all of which would undoubtedly follow Maggie back to the farm, in vehicles of their own, and Penny just wasn't sure what to think about that. These people were strangers, living on the road, what would they think when they saw the farm? With its fresh water, warm house, plenty of food…

It wasn't clear how long she walked up and down the porch but at some point Rick joined her. Penny slowed and took a seat on the opposite side to where he was. A silence overtook them as each waited for their respective family members to return, Penny mentally debating whether to start a conversation but something about '_I'm sorry your son is lying half dead in my house. I'm sorry you had to hear his screams until he passed out from the pain'_ just seemed a little insensitive. Also, she knew Rick had caught her expression when he said there were more people; she'd been unable to hide her concern and it was all too clear on her face. He probably thought she was a selfish bitch now; they had food, water, shelter, electricity and she was unwilling to share. Even now her silence was probably being interpreted as an unwillingness to speak to him but that really wasn't it. She was wary, and rightly so.

Another creak of the door and Hershel stepped out to join them. Penny met her father's eyes for a moment, receiving a strained smile which revealed just how much the situation was killing him. It was understandable given that six bullet fragments had to be dug out of the child's abdomen and doing so whilst he was still awake… Penny herself had only helped with cleaning the remaining wounds after Hershel had already done the hard work.

"This place, it's beautiful," Rick spoke as Hershel reached his side, the two men looking out over the peaceful land but Rick's voice was strained with the barely concealed emotions hidden beneath.

"Been in my family 160 years," her father replied with the same hint of pride he always had when he spoke of the farm.

"I can't believe how serene it is, how untouched. You're lucky."

"We weren't completely unscathed. We lost friends, neighbours. The epidemic took my wife, my step-son," Hershel replied. "My daughters were spared, I'm grateful to God for that. These people here, all we got left is each other. Just hoping we can ride it out in peace till there's a cure."

"We were at the CDC… It's gone now. There is no cure."

Penny frowned at the words, not quite absorbing them. It shouldn't have been such a shock given that she had been telling herself for days now, since the doubt began to creep into her mind, that there was no hope. Maybe she hadn't truly believed it until now.

The distant sound of hooves hitting the ground made Penny refocus on the fields beyond where she spotted the source- the very familiar horse and rider travelling closer and she stood up from her seat as her sister pulled the horse to a stop. She watched as Rick walked out to meet his wide, immediately embracing her as she broke in his arms.

-8-

"So was everything ok?" Penny questioned Maggie as the two placed the horse back in his stable.

The younger sibling nodded. "Fine. Had to take down one infected person tryna bite into a woman though," Maggie told her, shaking her head at the memory. Penny looked over to her, concern evident on her features. "Don't look at me like that, I'm fine."

"Of course you are," Penny sighed. "So the group. Was Lori with them when you found her?" She received a nod in response. "What were they like?"

"Really kinda mismatched. People I would never put together at any other time but just… normal I guess," Meggie replied, absently. "Two men, three women. Well there was a very dirty man with a crossbow…"

Penny raised her eyebrows, an amused smile playing on her lips. "A very dirty man with a _crossbow?_" she quoted.

"Yeah, didn't seem too friendly either."

"Right," Penny frowned all traces of amusement gone. She wasn't worried about the man's personality so much as the idea of him bringing the weapon to the farm. "Well what about the rest?"

"They just seemed scared Penny."

The two girls shared a concerned glance, neither knowing what to do with the situation they'd been thrown in to.

-8-

It was dark by the time the first of the group made it to the farm; Shane and Otis still hadn't made it back. The sound of an engine first alerted them to the newcomers, followed by the slamming of car doors. When Maggie entered with two males trailing behind, Penny wasn't sure what she had been expecting but it wasn't that. The first, a well-built, black man looked sick, with a blanket wrapped around him and a make-shift bandage on his forearm. His young, Asian companion just looked confused.

"Go sit down. I'll see if Patricia can look at your arm." Maggie said as she directed the two men to the table where Penny sat before going to find Patricia. Penny didn't miss the way the asian male's eyes trailed after her sister. What she did miss was the way the other set of eyes glanced over her own face and down her neck to her chest. A silence fell between the three as they waited for assistance.

"Name's T-Dog." The tone he used made Penny raise her eyebrows. Really, the guy had a probable blood infection and he was flirting?

"Glenn." His friend muttered, distractedly. They had been on the farm for a whole five minutes and both had already been taken in by the Greene sisters. T-Dog was looking at Penny expectantly. She sighed, not willing to disappoint him while he sat in front of her visibly drained from his injury.

"Penny," she answered.

"This your place then?" T-Dog asked her.

"My father's," she replied. "What happened to your arm?" She nodded towards the tight bandage, wanting to direct the conversation away from her home.

"Oh," he looked down at it, as if suddenly remembering it was there. "Caught on a car. Been bleeding something crazy. Guess it needs stitches…" T-Dog eyed Penny for a moment, "You got any experience with that sorta thing?"

"A little," Penny observed him. "I would try but Patricia's your best bet." T-Dog replied with a tired 'shame' before leaning his head back for a moment, his eyes closed.

-8-

After a while of uneventful silence, the sound of wheels on dirt again caused Penny to take a look through the front curtains, spotting the car parking out front.

She called out, "It's them."

Each person filed out of the front door to stand on the porch, anxiously awaiting the news. Their questions were answered when Shane, and only Shane, stepped out of the truck. Hershel took the bag of medical supplies from him before asking the one thing now on each of the Greene's minds.

"Otis?"

"…No. He- …He," Shane stuttered and Penny felt the breath leave her body. She reached to grip Maggie's forearm, subconsciously needing to just hold on to something.

"We say nothing to Patricia," Hershel told them after a moment's pause. "Not till after. I need her." He ran back into the house, looking as torn as his daughters did at that moment as they reeled from the shock of yet another loss.

"They kept blocking us… we had nothing left but 10 rounds and he said… he said that he'd cover me and that I should keep going. So that's what I did…. I just- I kept going but I… I looked back and he just… I tried."

Penny's grip on Maggie's arm was becoming tighter at every word Shane spoke. She could feel the sting of tears pressing against her eyes, threatening to spill over. She couldn't speak. She just stood by again, like she always seemed to. Like she did while Otis was out there, risking his life. Another family member dead and she had stood there doing nothing. Removing her hand from Maggie, Penny slowly stumbled back into the house.

In the sanctuary of her own bedroom, Penny finally released her emotions. Maybe she was trying to stupidly hide it from her family, her younger sisters, but as the tears started falling suddenly she felt like a failure. And then she was angry. She was furious; in fact she was beyond fury now. She felt as if her vision should be tinted red and her blood should be boiling. Throwing out her arm, she knocked what was left on her dresser on to the floor. They landed with a series of satisfying bangs. Penny stood, breathing heavily for a few more moments before she looked down at her work. She studied the broken pieces. Then it was as if she had never been angry. The red haze had lifted and all she was left with was shattered glass and a dented jewellery box.

Penny sank down to the floor as the tears flowed down her cheeks. Could it really have only been a matter of hours ago that she had been happily chatting to her sisters? Things had changed too much, too quickly and now Otis was dead. He was the most harmless person Penny had ever come across and now he'd suffered the most gruesome death possible and been left for food. Patricia would never get to bury his body. What had anyone done to deserve to live in this world? If only Carl hadn't been shot…

None of this would have happened if their lives hadn't crossed with those of the group. Those people were bad news, she could feel it. They had to leave, sooner rather than later.

-8-

Carl had stabilised and while this news was brilliant, after the teary hugs and thank-yous, no one felt like celebrating. Patricia's mournful cries echoed through the house, leaving everyone with heavy hearts. Penny had been waiting for the moment that she could speak to her father alone and the opportunity finally came when he had walked outside.

"I'm guessing you aren't coming out here just to keep me company," Hershel said as she stepped out behind him.

"No… we need to talk."

"Feels like that's all we've been doing lately Penny," He sighed. He was tired; the day had been too long. "But what about this time?"

"Rick… his group."

"Ah. I was wondering how long it would take for you to call me out on that."

"They can't stay here Dad," Penny told him. She didn't care how interfering she sounded, she had to make this clear or her father's tendency to take pity on people may just leave them in some very dangerous situations. "We don't know them. They could be dangerous or-"

"Penny, go and take a look at that boy lying in there. He has just been through surgery and you want me to throw him out?" Hershel interrupted.

"I'm not saying now! But even you must agree that this can't be a long-term solution and if they come here and see what we have, that is what they'll want."

Hershel considered this. He knew that he couldn't allow the group to stay for a long period, that much was obvious but at that moment he was too exhausted to think about how he was going to deal with it.

"Let's just wait until tomorrow when the others arrive. We can decide what we're going to do then," He eventually told her but this was not good enough for Penny who was suddenly faced with the dilemma of turning potentially innocent people away from safety or exposing her own family.

"No. You decided what was going to happen when you locked the infected people in the barn," She replied, spitefully, slightly harsher than intended but truthfully she was scared. Scared of losing her home, what was left of her family. Hershel didn't even look at her, knowing she was right. "You really want strangers wandering around this place? They get killed and that's on you. And that's not even considering what they might do to us."

Hershel was speechless. He honestly hadn't thought about the friends and family in the barn. If any of them found their way into what they thought would be an innocent hay loft, it would be on his conscience. Not to mention he had no idea how these people would react to him locking them up in the first place. There was more than one danger in this.

Penny took her father's silence as acceptance.

"As soon as Carl can move, they leave."

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**A special thank you to Amsty, HeavenlyCondemned, marulk, RedHotChilliSteppers2008, StardustIsMagic and****x XRoweenaJAugustineX x for adding this to your alerts and to animefangirl0219 for the favourite! You all rock.**

**Reviews are appreciated ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: this chapter is a little longer and a bit more dialogue/episode heavy… it won't be like this all the time as I add more original scenes in. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3 –_ if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day when nobody died._

Morning had always been Beth's favourite time of day. First, there was that split second when you woke and your mind was completely clear- no worries, nothing. Then there was the first look out of the window at the new day. It had always been such a refreshing sight for Beth; the country, her family's beautiful, green land stretching out. It was familiar, never changing- unlike the rest of the world.

On this morning, she spotted her sisters, hanging various pieces of clothing onto the washing line. They weren't speaking. She watched as Maggie pulled a man's shirt out of the basket balanced on her hip. She looked at it for a moment before scrunching a part of the material up in her fist and seemed to be taking a deep breath. Beth soon realised the reason why- the shirt was one of Otis'. Penny had noticed too and reached over to remove the shirt from Maggie's grasp.

The death of Otis was hitting them all hard, like it always did. Beth hadn't even been aware of what had happened, or any of what was happening last night really, until she'd heard Penny in her room. She'd gone to question her and that's when she found out. It was always a little irritating in situations like the one that unfolded because no one ever thought about keeping Beth informed until she took the time to go and find out for herself. She was still treated like a child.

But today wasn't about Beth, or any other of the family members still with her. Today was about Otis. They were going to make a memorial for him, have a service. It was a lot less than he deserved but with no body to bury and no church to hold a proper funeral, they had to make do with what they did have. Besides, Otis had valued the farm almost as much as her father did; he would have loved to be honoured there.

Her bedroom door opened and Jimmy walked in.

"We're gonna start collecting the stones. Penny said to get you."

"I'll be right there."

-8-

The only noise that could be heard was the steady thump as the stones fell into the wheelbarrow and the shuffle of Shane's feet as he limped back and forth. They had all tried to convince him to rest, telling him he'd already done enough but he wasn't having any of it. He was determined to help them and Penny admired him for that. He was in pain, his ankle hurt quite badly from the fall, yet he wanted to do right by Otis- a man he barely even knew.

The silence was broken by the distant rumbling of an engine which sounded like a motorcycle. The closer it came to the farm, the more distinct it became and more engines could be heard underneath the noise of the first. The group stopped and looked towards the sound; it seemed like the rest of Rick's group had finally decided to show their faces.

The extremely loud motor cycle was followed by a silver car and then a very old RV. The vehicles pulled up in front of the house as everyone followed to meet them. Penny stood between her sisters as each new arrival got out and greeted their friends. They seemed nice enough, she supposed, for complete strangers. The one that stood out however was clearly the one Maggie referred to as the 'very dirty man with a crossbow'. His sideways stance, torn off sleeves and hostile expression said it all. Of course, he was the one riding the motorcycle. The man had pulled his crossbow off the back of his bike as soon as he'd gotten off the thing and held it tight in his grasp as if it pained him to be away from the contraption.

The sight of the whole group together, interacting, only made Penny more anxious for them to leave. She was absolutely positive that the crossbow was not the only deadly weapon these people had brought onto her home land.

-8-

"…We thank you God for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived- in grace."

One by one, her family had stepped forward and placed a stone on the memorial, in remembrance of Otis, as Hershel completed his speech. His words set off the now familiar ache in Penny's chest that she had felt too many times recently. Her expression was mirrored on the faces of those she loved. When she looked around to the outsiders however, she felt a slight twinge of something other than grief that she couldn't quite place. The majority of her mind was annoyed that they thought it was ok to be there- they hadn't known Otis at all but the fact that they were there almost made her feel slightly grateful. It was a strange thing to feel at a funeral but these people, that she herself didn't particularly care for, were stood paying their respects for a man they didn't know but were all indebted to. They were willing to share in a family's grief. Penny may not like or trust them and she definitely did not want them to stay but it earned them a bit of respect in return.

"Shane, will you speak for Otis?" Hershel asked.

"I'm not good at it," Shane replied. The man looked genuinely upset at the whole thing which was understandable- Otis had saved Shane's life at the cost of his own. "I'm sorry."

"You were the last one with him," Patricia spoke up, the tremble in her voice as she fought through the tears was heart breaking to everyone listening. "Will you share his final moments? Please, I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning." Shane looked at her and knew he could not refuse the woman who had just lost her husband and so he told them. His words were met with an eerie silence. No one knew what to say, everyone equally as horrified at the events that were being described- Otis' last moments. The silence continued for a long time, until Shane began to limp forward.

"If not for Otis," he picked up a stone from the wheelbarrow. "I'd never have made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis… he saved us both."

The final stone was placed on the pile and Patricia finally allowed herself to release the tears that had been building up throughout the ceremony. Penny moved closer to her and took one hand in both of hers as Maggie wrapped an arm around the older woman's shoulders. There wasn't anything they could do apart from give her the comfort they both knew was needed.

"Do you wanna come inside, we'll make some tea?" Maggie asked her. Patricia smiled softly at the two girls.

"No thank you. I'm just gonna stay out here for a little while."

Taking the hint, Penny and Maggie began to walk back up towards the house.

"...lost enough daylight already. We need to get goin' if we goin"

"We know that. But we need to do this properly. We can't just let everyone walk off and end up getting lost themselves."

Rick, Shane and the crossbow guy were stood just to the side of the RV when the girls passed them- seeming to be in a very important discussion, Penny assumed was about the missing girl Rick had mentioned. Crossbow Guy was doing nothing to keep his voice down while Rick was attempting to speak in hushed tones; clearly he was agitated by something.

"Where do you think they're going?" Maggie asked her sister.

"Away from here with any luck," The funeral had done nothing to improve Penny's mood from the previous day, in fact it had only served in making her worse. Footsteps sounded behind them and both girls turned to see Rick walking towards them, looking slightly apprehensive.

"You two must know the land around here pretty well, right?"

The girls exchanged a look. They'd lived on the farm their whole lives so of course they had explored every secret hide out this place had to offer as children and Penny distinctly remembered taking her siblings out into the woods for supposed hiking trips as they got older.

"You could say that. Why?" Penny asked. She was suspicious; she couldn't help it, not wanting to be caught up in their issues.

"Well I was just wondering if you could maybe help us with the lay of the land since you'd know it a lot better than any of us," Rick said, surprisingly calm for someone who was under Penny's penetrating gaze. He knew she was suspicious of him, of all of them, and was trying to reassure her but his timing was off. They had just come from the funeral of someone they cared deeply about- the time to ask for favours wasn't now.

"For what?" Maggie interjected before Penny could say anything else.

"We wanna try set up search perimeters to look for our missing girl and it'd help a lot if we knew the places to look."

Penny's gaze dropped to the ground in exasperation. If there was a time that she would be even less likely to help anyone it would be now. She wanted to go inside, away from the craziness that seemed to be surrounding them and try to act normally for just a little while. Failing that, she knew there was a small bottle of vodka still hiding in the zipped pocket of her suitcase. "We don't wanna get any more caught up in your problems," she shook her head in apology. "I mean look what happened last night-"

"I understand that but Sophia… she's 12-years-old and she's out there all alone. She's-" Rick replied before Penny interrupted him.

"-Not our problem. I'm sorry but my family has risked enough for your people," She told him as gently as possible. It was harsh but necessary. There weren't many people who could claim they would choose a stranger over their family- or maybe that was just Penny's way of justifying her decision to not help them. Rick nodded once in understanding, already knowing he couldn't ask for anything else. As soon as he was out of earshot, Maggie turned on her sister.

"What is wrong with you? That's a little girl out there!" She fumed. "So you're just gonna sit back and not help her?"

Penny sighed, rolling her eyes from frustration- not at Maggie but from her own conflicted mind. "What am I supposed to do? Look what happened yesterday Maggie. You really wanna send someone else out again for a person we don't even know?"

"Not just anyone- a little girl who's probably scared outta her mind Penn," Maggie reminded her.

Penny glanced over to where Rick was conversing with Shane by the RV for a moment before turning to her sister. Maggie was determined, as always, and Penny could see the point so clearly. Penny ran a hand over her face as she internally debated with herself. "We have that map of the surrounding area?" She received a slow nod of confirmation from Maggie. "They can use that," Penny stated as she turned back to Rick. "It's a start right?"

-8-

They had gathered around a truck, waiting for Maggie to return. Hershel and a blonde woman, Andrea, had joined them. The way in which they had placed themselves told so much about the current dynamics between the farm occupants and the outsiders. Daryl, Shane and Andrea had placed themselves on one side of the truck whilst Penny and Hershel had taken the other side; Rick, the self-appointed middle man, stood in between. Neither side trusted the other enough to try and mix, yet they were all willing to work for the same goal here- finding Sophia.

"How long's this girl been lost?" Hershel questioned.

"This'll be day three," Rick told him as Maggie came into view from the trees. She walked up beside him and unrolled the map onto the car bonnet.

"County survey map. Shows terrain and elevation."

"This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organised. We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams..." Rick immediately took charge, as was expected of him but Hershel wasn't having it.

"Not you, not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this before passing out," he then turned to Shane. "And your ankle, push it now and you'll be laid up a month- no good to anybody."

"Guess it's just me." Penny was almost surprised to hear the man across from her speak up- Daryl, Rick had called him. He seemed much calmer now than she had seen him previously, maybe it was because he was doing something productive again; he seemed like that kind of guy. "I'mma head back to the creak… work my way from here."

"I can still be useful. Drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back," Shane spoke up. He too didn't seem like the type to be sitting around when he knew something needed to be done- in fact recent events had shown that was exactly what the man was like.

"Tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right."

"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives," Penny stood up straighter at the discussion of weapons Shane was attempting to start. "We need the gun trade we've been promising."

Penny looked to her father who didn't look too pleased with the idea. Honestly, it was downright disrespectful. They were guests on the farm and they still took the liberty of assuming the Greene's would be ok with them keeping dangerous weapons on their persons. She'd made her mind up about helping them with Sophia because honestly she wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing she could have helped and hadn't but that didn't mean she was yet warming to the group.

"I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp," Hershel spoke up.

The group members looked at each other with varying degrees of disbelief. "With all due respect, you get a crowd of those things walking in here…" Shane's voice had turned almost patronising and it was something Penny wasn't happy with.

"Well with all due respect, I think it's my Dad's choice whether he wants them here," Penny retorted. They weren't about to take control over this. She could see Shane was about to say something back but Rick quickly intervened.

"She's right," he turned back to address Hershel. "This is your property, and we will respect that." Rick made the first move and pulled out his gun, placing it on the car. Shane followed but clearly not at all happy with the situation. "First thing's first- set up camp, find Sophia."

"I hate to be the one to ask this but what if we find her and she's bit? Think we should be clear on how we handle that," Shane spoke.

"You do what has to be done," replied his leader.

Maggie was immediately disgusted. Her head snapped up and Penny could tell she was preparing to argue about this, as was Penny. This was a little girl, a little girl they all seemed to care about, and they were just casually discussing how to kill her. Penny didn't agree with the cure coming and yes, maybe she thought locking people up in the barn wasn't the best thing either but a little girl? "And her mother, what d'ya tell her?" Maggie asked.

"The truth." Came the reply from the blonde beside her sister. The statement was cold and almost careless. The thought of what these people must have gone through to be able to talk about this so casually was horrifying. Shane once again put forward his opinion on the weapons front whilst the Greene family were still reeling from the shock of the previous conversation. He proposed that another man, Dale, be allowed a rifle whilst on watch. Penny had known all along that it would only be a matter of time before they tried to take over and it looked like she was being proven right.

"Our people would feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun," With Rick's interference, Penny knew her father would give in. And he did. She couldn't listen anymore. With a barely audible scoff and a shake of her head, she walked away from the idiocy that had just played out before her.

-8-

"_There's something you might wanna come see in the well."_

When T-Dog had approached them with the slight cryptic message, Penny had definitely not been expecting this. They all stared down at the water-logged… thing in the bottom of the well. Its skin had absorbed so much water that the whole body had swollen and it's already rotting flesh was hanging off in layers. Never had Penny seen a sight more disgusting. She hadn't been thrilled about coming out here with them in the first place; their company was not one she craved. Now she was wishing she had stuck to that and not been driven by curiosity.

When the thing had heard the voices of the group gathered above, it had begun a futile attempt to reach them- it's decaying fingers scraping at the sides of the well.

Discussions soon began amongst the outsiders gathered about how best to get it out- at that point a shot to the head seemed the most favourable until Andrea, the voice of reason apparently, pointed out that if it hadn't already contaminated the water, blowing its brains out would certainly do the job. Up until then Penny hadn't exactly thought of it contaminating the water but now it was stated, she almost wished it hadn't been. The water source was the one that fed the cows. They didn't use it themselves but still, the cows had drunk it, they had eaten the cows... She felt like she needed to be sick.

The worst plan they could have ever came up with was soon being executed. They were going to attempt to pull the 'person' out of the well. On a rope. Using a tinned ham as bait.

"There's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and start raiding our cupboards," Lori pointed out. Clearly there were many flaws in this plan.

"We need live bait." The pointed look Andrea threw at Glenn spoke volumes.

This was all Penny could take. This plan was ridiculous and now they were taking about sending something, or rather someone, _living _down there? "You people are insane," She stated in disbelief.

She and Maggie stood off to the side as they watched the group prepare to lower Glenn down the well, the younger of which was radiating fury. That's not to say Penny was happy about it but Glenn was a grown man, he could have said no if he wanted to but he hadn't. Although Penny was not about to put it past the others to tie him up anyway and throw him down themselves- it seemed safety was only a concern when it came to weapons.

"He should not be doing this."

"Maggie he could've pulled out… told them no. He didn't."

They were all set up, waiting to go.

"Gonna get you out in one piece, bud," Shane attempted to reassure the extremely nervous Glenn.

"_Living_ piece. The living part is important." Glenn retorted.

"Oh you people are crazy," Maggie called out, only to be shot down by Shane.

"Want this thing outta your well or not?"

"No, she's right. There has got to be a better way of doing this," Penny told him, not only pissed that he would just dismiss her sister like that but at the whole situation.

"Well if you can think of one I'm all ears," to which Penny had no reply. "Instead of just standing there, you could give us a hand."

Clenching her jaw in frustration, she weighed up her options and decided helping would only get Glenn out faster. She walked over and grabbed a hold of the rope behind Andrea.

"Give us an eye there Maggie," Dale called over to her sister who made her way to the edge of the well with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

The next few moments were the tensest Penny had ever experienced. The thought that Glenn could quite easily fall to his death at any second made her grip the rope in her hand even tighter. They were feeding the rope, steadily, around the water pipe and down into the well. Everything was going smoothly until the water pipe creaked under the weight and suddenly the whole thing lifted up from the floor, taking their leverage with it.

Panicked cries ensued as everyone ran to make a grab for the rope which slipped through their fingers until T-Dog managed to take a hold of the pipe and cling to it. The rest rushed to his side and attempted to tug it back enough to lift the now screaming Glenn out of the grasp of the starving cannibal in the well.

"PULL IT UP!"

"COME ON!"

"PULL HIM UP!"

"HELP! SHANE HELP!"

"GET HIM OUT OF THERE!"

Glenn's own desperate cries were masked by the group's frantic words to each other as they eventually got a good enough force behind the rope to begin to pull him back up. Glenn scrambled out of the well and collapsed onto the floor.

Penny placed a hand over her racing heart as she attempted to catch her breath. _Too close, _she thought. All it would have taken was one second longer for them to catch that rope and Glenn would be beyond saving now- all it took was one bite. This group were even reckless about their own people's lives… how long would it take for them to put her family in danger too?

As it turned out, it hadn't been a waste of time after all- or so the group thought- when Glenn revealed he had indeed managed to get the rope around the head of the thing that had been trying to take a bite out of him. The guy had some balls, Penny would give him that.

Once again, they had taken to pulling on the rope- only this time it was the bloated body of an infected person they were lifting out and it was a lot heavier than Glenn which was why they had enlisted the help of Merrick. Why they hadn't thought of using a horse in the first place was beyond Penny's reasoning at this moment. She was drenched in sweat and her hands burned.

"Come on y'all, pull!"

Penny huffed out a breath of air as she let more rope slip through her fingers. Shane's constant shouting was doing nothing to help her pounding head and the amount of relief she felt was beyond measure when she finally spotted the grey, hairless head coming over the side of the well.

"Watch out Dog!"

More of the body began to emerge and the sight was even more disgusting in the light of the afternoon. The desperate sounds coming from its mouth as it spotted T-Dog beside it were almost as horrifying as the smell that erupted from its putrid, discoloured flesh.

"Almost there. Come on pull it!"

"It's stuck!"

They pulled harder, attempting to dislodge it but in doing so the force was too much. With a revolting tear, the body split in half- its blood and guts spilling out on to the floor. The upper half lay, still moving on the ground but the lower half hadn't made it far enough; it fell back down the well, a resounding splash following in its wake. The arms were still reaching out to try and grab one of them, the intestines and various other organs hanging out. The sight was almost too much for Penny but it wasn't until T-Dog began to cave in its head with a metal pole that she truly lost it, emptying her stomach on to the grass beside her.

-8-

Penny sat on the front porch steps, her head between her knees. She still hadn't gotten the image of the torn apart body out of her mind. She didn't really know why she was reacting so violently to it, hours after it had happened. The rest had gotten over it and moved on, including Maggie who had taken off on a supply run into town with Glenn. Penny didn't even have the energy to object when she found out.

She supposed the others must have grown immune now to hideous sights- the most any of them had done was scrunch up their noses. Again, it left her wondering just what they had seen out there… The way T-Dog hadn't hesitated to just pummel its head in to an even bloodier pulp than it already was showed her just what these people thought of the living dead. It wasn't that Penny herself would hesitate to take one down if needs be but the thing wasn't even capable of moving. She just didn't know what to believe anymore but she knew just how relieved she was that soon, these people –these outsiders- would be gone and she could go back to her life off not knowing.

The familiar creak of the screen door and the sound of her father's shoes alerted her to his presence before he sat down beside her. Penny didn't move and Hershel placed his hand on her back, rubbing it in soothing circles as her nausea began to pass. "How are you feeling?" He asked her.

Penny lifted her head up and rested it on one hand as she looked towards her father. "Not great. I don't think I'll ever get that image out of my head," she replied, honestly. They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while before Hershel finally decided to speak again, revealing the true reason he had sought her out.

"Rick has asked me to consider letting them stay," his words were slow, as if he were only just considering them himself.

Penny paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she thought about it. "And what did you say?" She questioned, cautiously.

"The man just wants to do what is best for his son," he held a hand up to Penny as she opened her mouth to retort. "And I understand where he is coming from. Now, I told him I would consider it. Part of the reason I said that was because I wanted to talk to you first. Rick is a good man and if we lay down some rules, I have no doubts that he'll stick to them."

She sighed in defeat and nodded slightly understanding where her father was coming from, "But can you really trust them? You don't know anything about them Dad."

"True but what kind of man would I be if I didn't at least give them a chance?"

Penny had no reply. She knew what kind of man her father was- kind, compassionate, protective…stubborn and he wouldn't be that man if he didn't do this his way. Really Penny was lucky her father was giving her opinion thought at all seeing as this hadn't truly been her home for a long time. She didn't really have any authority there, despite how she may act the opposite and so she accepted. Penny nodded her head once more and shuffled closer to her father to tuck her arm under his, resting her head on his shoulder. Hershel turned, pressing a small kiss to his daughter's head, hoping he would make the right decision for his family.

It wasn't too long before Maggie and Glenn rode into view and Penny couldn't help but notice the way Maggie dismissed their father's questions with quick answers and the way Glenn had looked over to watch every move she made. The adorable blush that appeared on his cheeks when he caught Penny's smirk was all the evidence she needed. Her baby sister had just gotten laid. At least someone was getting something out of this little arrangement.

* * *

**So maybe not my best chapter but I wanted it out already. Penny keeps jumping between wanting the group out of the farm at that very second and attempting to help them the next- talk about multi-personality. And we got our first glimpse of Daryl which I was only too happy to write.**

**Thank you to everyone who read/added to alerts & favourites. I was so happy with the amount I got for the last chapter! Anyway, I'm going to do review replies at the bottom of chapters so:**

**StardustIsMagic: I love your fangirling ways! She's not exactly harsh in this chapter, although I was going to make her like that. She's being too indecisive about everything which is a little annoying but nevermind! I can't wait for her to meet Daryl.. it will be sooo much fun to write. Love you baby 3**

**Padme400: wow thank you! I was the same with the ones I read. There are some really good daryl/OC ones though and I'm glad you like mine! **

**x XRoweenaJAugustineX x: thank you! Yes, I wouldn't really want to share either especially with people who bring so much drama with them.**

**Leg64: I hope you like this chapter just as much, thanks for the review **

**Ooglicunt: love the username by the way! Thank you!**

**GatorGirl99: thank you, hope this one works out just as well…**

**Leyshla Gisel: sorry lol, I just thought a bitchy ending would be great there. Hope you like this one!**

**Thanks for reading everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: You have no idea how upset I was that I couldn't include the Cherokee rose scene in the previous chapter. Seriously, it is so beautiful. I sat and watched it three times over anyway. But I got my Dixon fix writing this one so I feel a little better, plus we get our first Daryl/Penny interaction… enjoy!**

Chapter 4 – _If you take what's yours and I'll take mine, must we go there? Not this time._

"So…"

Maggie turned to see her older sister leaning in the doorway. "What?"

Penny rolled her eyes and walked further into the room, taking a spot on Maggie's bed. She had come looking for details and her sister was going to play it obtuse which just wasn't ok. Penny hadn't received any of that kind of attention in months- you could say she was living vicariously through her sister at this moment.

"Oh come on, you know what! How was he?"

Maggie turned back to her mirror. The answer was obvious- he was good. The sex had been good, especially after months of not getting any but she just wasn't sure how she felt about the whole situation, or about Glenn himself for that matter. Penny mistook her silence as evidence of the worst.

"He was bad? 'Cause when you guys came back yesterday it sure didn't seem like you were upset about it… I-"

"No, Penny it's not that. It was great sex ok, that what you wanna hear?" Truthfully, the answer would be yes but now Maggie was upset so that just brought on more questions.

"Right, what is it? Might as well tell me now 'cause I'm not going away until you do."

Maggie sighed. "…I don't even know if I like him. And yesterday I just threw myself at him."

Penny stood and walked over to her, placing her hands on her sister's shoulders and looking through the mirror at their reflections.

"You're over-thinking this, Maggs," she told her. "You don't have to like him to sleep with him. Besides you could do a lot worse. The guy's cute and it's not like we have our pick of men right now. It's either Glenn or Dale,"

Maggie laughed slightly at the thought. "You can take that one, Penn."

"Gee, thanks. Really though Maggs, you don't have to commit to him… just play it cool for a while, see what he wants too,"

Maggie looked to her sister nervously, it was times like these when she couldn't be more grateful for her close bond with Penny- sometimes you just needed an outside view.

"But what if he wants more?" It was Penny's turn to laugh.

"Maggie, that boy would be willing to take anything you give. He's like in awe of you or something,"

She smiled, knowing it was true. The way Glenn had stared at her breasts, almost in a trance, had been far too amusing. Then again, he probably hadn't seen any in a while.

"I guess…"

"Good, now that we're in agreement, come get breakfast." Penny placed a quick kiss to the top of her sister's head before disappearing from the room. Maggie watched her go, in slight amazement at the older girl's ability to be three different people in one body.

-8-

Cleaning out the stables was never a job for just one person, unless you wanted it to take all day and usually Penny would have accepted Beth's offer of helping out but for now, she was just grateful for the peace being around the horses brought.

She stood in the second stall on the right, the one which housed her own horse. Ruby had been a gift from her father when Penny had started college, a good seven years ago. It was odd that he had chosen to buy her a horse just as she was moving off the farm but it was his way of ensuring she would return occasionally- even if it was just to check on the beautiful Yearling. Penny had practically raised Ruby; she was her pride and joy. Ruby was an American Quarter horse in a stunning, chestnut-red coat, which was of course where the name had come from.

Penny stood beside the mare and began to brush her down when she heard the harsh footsteps of someone approaching. The man, she presumed, was in the block two down and on the opposite side from her own. Penny moved silently, running her hand over Ruby's long mane as she passed her. Stepping out she saw the now familiar metal contraption that was Daryl's crossbow sitting right outside the block. What was he doing in there?

Still walking as quietly as she could, Penny made her way towards him and leaned against the wooden post opposite to where the crossbow was placed. She hadn't interacted with this particular male before, she'd only needed to see the wide berth he gave every one to be sure that it would probably never happen- if he still didn't seem like a part of the group after being with them so long, why would he bother to strike up a conversation with someone he didn't even know?

Penny watched in silence as he picked up a saddle-one of her own, coincidently- from where he had placed it on the floor.

"Gonna tell me what you think you're doing?" she spoke up, deciding that speaking to him was necessary if she wanted to know exactly what he planned on doing with one of the horses that clearly did not belong to him.

Daryl tensed up immediately and spun around to face her. She had seen the way he tried to reach for his weapon before realising he didn't have it. The hostile expression he wore made his eyes narrower than Penny thought they would usually be.

"Like sneakin' up on people?"

His thick, southern accent matched the rest of him perfectly; rough and definitely a little unique around there. Penny was slightly surprised to see that the shirt he was wearing had sleeves- the other few times she had seen him, the sleeves had been torn off, exposing his toned arms.

"When those people are sneaking about themselves, yes. I'll ask again, what do you think you're doing?" Her words were deliberately slow, she wasn't intimidated by this man so she was not about to play nice.

Daryl's eyes narrowed further and his chin rose a touch- a clear defiance if ever Penny saw one. She wasn't about to get a straight answer here.

"Business is it a yours anyway?"

"It is very much my business if you plan on taking my horse without permission."

Daryl glared at the girl in front of him. He'd seen her around before, heard T-Dog talking about her, but he'd never paid much attention; never really had the time to. Now though, his eyes ran across her face, taking in the high cheekbones and large, hazel eyes. Her brow was creased in obvious irritation which Daryl was used to by now. If he were any other man, he would have said she was a good looking girl, maybe he would have even taken a liking to her but that was not who Daryl Dixon was. Her expression and tense stance were what he focused on; she was a girl that had attitude. That was not something he particularly liked- girls like that tended to want to be in everyone else's business. However, even if he hated to admit it, she had a point.

"Headin' up to the creak, look for the girl. Good 'nough explanation for ya?"

There was no 'if that's ok with you' or 'would you mind if I borrowed her', and Penny's anger flared.

"Not really, no."

His answer was to turn back around and finish up fixing the saddle.

In another situation, if she was speaking to a man who didn't do everything he possibly could to piss her off, Penny probably would have informed him that the horse he was currently saddling up would be almost useless in the type of terrain he was heading for. Nelly was spooked too easily. One of them was bound to get hurt. Maybe she would have offered him the use of Merrick instead, after all this was for the little girl. But not with this man. She simply stood and watched as Daryl retrieved his crossbow from in front of her. He met her eyes once and Penny was slightly startled by the intensity of the blue she saw. He climbed up onto Nelly and clicked his tongue to get her moving. As he rode out of the stables, he never once looked back at her and Penny had to resist the childish urge to make a rather rude hand gesture at his retreating figure. That was one conversation she could have really gone without.

Her irritation at Daryl soon faded into the background as she returned to her work. As soon as she finished with Ruby's stall, she made the most of having Nelly out and cleaned hers too. But as the sun reached its peak in the sky, the sweat was beginning to pool on her forehead and had saturated her shirt so Penny returned to the house, meeting her father on the way.

"Did you finish the stables?"

"No, I did Ruby's and Nelly's… figured I might as well while she was gone. I'll do the rest tomorrow, Beth can help." Penny told him, not really thinking about her words, her mind was more focused on taking a shower and finding a clean shirt.

"Nelly's gone?"

Penny froze. Of course her father hadn't known Daryl had taken the horse. He hadn't asked for her permission and she had been standing right in front of him at the time, no way would he have tracked her father down. If her father found out that she herself had allowed Daryl to take the horse however, a lecture was definitely coming her way and even at 25-years-old, Penny did not enjoy the disappointment in her father's eyes. She would have to play this safe.

"You mean you didn't know?"

"If I had, I wouldn't be this surprised now would I?"

He was mad; she certainly did not want him to find out.

"Sorry Daddy, I thought you knew… she was gone by the time I got there," A simple lie, he would believe her. The only problem was would Daryl tell anyone that she had seen him in the stables? No doubt he would get a telling off when he got back for taking her without permission… so would he turn the blame onto her?

"Musta been one of Rick's people. All of ours are up at the house," Hershel told her, he was starting to see why his oldest daughter was so opposed to them… they truly were doing whatever they wanted here.

"Well apart from Jimmy, yeah everyone was up there last time I checked,"

"Where has that boy gone off to now?"

Penny didn't know if the question was rhetorical or whether he actually wanted to know but she was slightly surprised at the fact that he didn't know already. She assumed he had given Jimmy permission to leave the farm.

"Saw him walk off with Andrea and T-Dog. He was helping them look for Sophia, I think."

Again, this was the wrong thing to say. Her father's expression hardened.

"I think it's about time I spoke to Rick. Ask Beth to find him and bring him over here." He said before walking away to the generators. Despite knowing that her story could fall out at any minute following the arrival of Daryl, it seemed her father was beginning to question his trust in Rick and that was worth it in her eyes.

-8-

Hershel Greene was not having a good afternoon. First, he had been blind sighted twice with regards to his own property and people which led to him confronting Rick about doing a better job of keeping his people under control; the boundary between them had been clearly drawn. Hershel would look after his own people, Rick could look after his. Then he had found Lori and Carol in his kitchen, cooking dinner for everyone without asking express permission and when he had asked Maggie about it, she had thought it would be ok. But it wasn't ok- especially with the fact that Maggie was becoming involved with the Asian boy, Glenn. He warned her to not get too attached; it wouldn't be pleasant for either when it came to them leaving.

It was becoming plainly obvious that the group might come to cause trouble for him and his family. They were encroaching on his space, doing what they liked with his property and he had heard about the person stuck in the well yesterday. He didn't appreciate the group taking over that and roping his two eldest daughters into it as well. Hershel had specifically told Rick that there were things on the farm that no outsider had any right to know about and he definitely didn't plan on saying anything. These matters were private, family business and he was all too aware of exactly how the group would handle it if they found about the secrets hidden there. The situation with the well was all the evidence that was needed.

He respected Rick, truly he did, but there were things more important than respect- especially now, in today's world. He had made the right decision, telling them to leave once Carl was fit to travel and Sophia had been returned to her mother. Maybe Hershel didn't know exactly what horrors awaited them out there but what he did know was that they couldn't be his priority; his family and his land were what mattered.

He couldn't help but think that Penny was right to be suspicious from the beginning. It was becoming a regular occurrence for him to admit this. She had always been the strongest, most determined, of his children- being the oldest and growing up without her rightful mother had been enough to send her in this direction. He honestly blamed himself for her sometimes. Penny was an inspiring girl when she wanted to be but she could also be stubborn and controlling when the times called for it… just like he was. Every so often, it struck him how alike him his eldest was.

The sound of a gunshot broke through his thoughts as it echoed through the air and Hershel ran out of the house, quickly followed by the rest of his family.

"What on earth is going on out here?" He shouted up at Andrea and Dale who were perched on the RV, Andrea with a rifle in her hand.

Penny, who made it to her father first, looked out over the field to see two people lifting up a third. Andrea and Dale took off running towards them and as the group began to make their way back, it became immediately obvious who it was being supported. Daryl had apparently arrived… without the horse and completely covered in dirt and blood.

**I feel like I should apologise for the length of this chapter, it's so short. Really it should have been joined with the next one but I thought Daryl coming back was just the right place to stop and honestly I just like ending these with people covered in blood so. I've already written out the next one though so it will be up in the next couple of days!**

**Thank you to everyone who has read/fav'd/alerted. You're all brilliant. Okay so onto replies!**

**StardustIsMagic: I know, I know but I didn't want her to be annoying about it but then again she's not really changing her opinion- she still wants them to leave, she just goes through phases of respecting them a little and thinking they're all insane. Hope there was enough Daryl in this one to keep you going till the next chapter. Thank you babe!**

**Leyshla Gisel: Well she was thinking about it but then they had to go and get all controlling again… Thanks for reviewing again!**

**Emberka-2012: I was so happy about your review. Most people would see Penny as selfish for being the way she is with them but she really is just suspicious and protective so thank you for getting that!**

**Padme400: Wow. Your review was amazing. I think my problem with the last chapter was simply because there was so much dialogue, I didn't really know if people wanted to see that; which was why I tried to make the well scene less about Penny. I agree about their reactions. It made me want to be sick and I was watching a screen so… I just completely agree with everything you said. I always felt like the group were far too controlling on someone else's property. Thank you so much for the review, hope you like this one!**

**Reviews are very much welcome guys, like something or even dislike something… let me know **


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: here we go, more Daryl as promised! Oh and there will be swearing in this from now on since it is Daryl… just so you know.**

Chapter 5 – _could you remind me of a time when we were so alive?_

The colour drained from Penny's face as she stared at the unconscious Daryl being carried between Rick and Shane. This was her fault. The sleeves had been torn from his shirt and tied in a kind of tourniquet around his waist but the blood was still seeping through, covering a lot of his left side. His head looked just as bad; Penny couldn't see much of it that wasn't coated in the sticky, red substance. The right side of his face and the left side of his head, where Andrea had shot him, were covered but so was the area around his mouth. What the hell had happened to him? If she had just swallowed her stupid pride and gotten over his attitude towards her, she could've stopped him taking the horse then maybe he wouldn't be so messed up. She didn't particularly like the man but that didn't mean she wanted him to die. There was no doubt in her mind that he would give her up now if the chance arrived.

"Bring him up to the house," Hershel instructed Rick and Shane.

Penny followed behind them; she had to know what was wrong with him- minus the gunshot. They took him upstairs to the only spare bedroom and Penny was absentmindedly thankful for the fact that their house was big enough to have so many bedrooms.

"Penny get me my bag, a cloth and warm water."

It took her a second to register her father's words and another before she acted on them- she couldn't pull her eyes away from the man on the bed. He looked so weak at that moment and the Daryl she knew was anything but. Her father had to call her name a second time before she all but ran from the room. It was fairly easy to locate the bag but Penny had to rush through a dozen people asking her questions before she could get to the water.

By the time she had returned, Daryl's shirt and vest had been removed and the huge number of scars criss-crossing his upper torso were very evident. She somehow knew he would be pissed they had seen them. She was instructed to clean the blood from his head wound and hold the cloth firmly down on it while Hershel inspected the other wound. Penny wanted to leave so badly, Patricia would be much more useful anyway and it was a wonder her father hadn't sent her downstairs and brought Patricia up.

"Looks like something went straight through here," Hershel told them "and it's not a smooth pass through either. He must've pulled whatever it was back out again. Should be fine once I stitch it up."

Penny winced as she considered how much pain Daryl must have gone through to do that- the hole wasn't exactly small. She continued to wipe away the drying blood but there were still layers of dust and grime clinging to his skin that only a very good scrub would clean away and she couldn't afford to be that rough in a sensitive area.

The man beneath her hands stirred and Penny instantly pulled her hands away. She could not be there when he woke up. Hershel noticed her discomfort and assumed it was her dislike for the group that had her feeling that way.

"Rick can take over there, Penny."

The man in question looked away from Daryl's abdomen and up to Penny, silently asking if she wanted him to. She was not about to refuse so she nodded once and Rick hands quickly replaced her own, holding down the cloth onto the open wound. Penny wasted no time disappearing from the room and into the bathroom to scrub the blood from her hands; it didn't matter that there was barely anything on her.

She expected another bombardment of questions as soon as she stepped back downstairs but everyone just looked at her as she entered- she couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable under the gaze of them all. It was Carol that eventually spoke up, asking the question on the whole group's mind.

"How is he?"

Penny looked to the small, fragile woman in front of her. She obviously cared about Daryl; the concern for him was clear in her eyes. Penny supposed that if someone was willing to risk their lives to find your daughter, you would come to care about them too. However, she couldn't imagine that Daryl was an easy person to care for.

"Should be fine," she answered and Carol's relief was instantaneous. The worry lifted and she smiled softly at Penny in thanks. It caused the younger girl to wonder exactly how thankful Carol would be if she knew that Penny could, possibly, have stopped this happening in the first place.

-8-

After being told that Daryl would be fine for a second time, this time coming from Rick, the women had gone back to preparing the meal they had planned. Penny, like her father, hadn't been too happy with this arrangement- not only were they giving them land, but food as well? The group were definitely becoming too comfortable there.

The atmosphere in the dining room could be cut with a knife. The air was tense and awkward with people either not knowing what to say or not willing to speak anyway. Penny sat on her father's left, next to Dale. The meal was delicious and she had been polite enough to thank the women who had slaved away in the kitchen all day but the only thing she was really grateful for at that moment was that she hadn't been delegated to the little table; she had been allowed to sit with the adults.

"Does anybody know how to play guitar?"

Penny had to resist laughing at Glenn's attempt to start a conversation. He had turned around from the smaller table; she knew he was a little put out at being placed there. The awkward silence continued but several people turned to look at Glenn, including her father who did not look amused. She felt a little sorry for him then, if there was a member of the group Penny would be pretty much fine with staying, it was Glenn.

"…Dale found a cool one. Somebody's got to know how to play." He finished with a forced laugh, apparently realising that he had only succeeded in increasing the tension.

"Otis did." Patricia spoke up after a long moment's silence.

Penny closed her eyes, she hadn't thought it was possible for the situation to become worse but clearly she was wrong. Most eyes diverted back down to their plates at the mention of the recently deceased man.

"Yes and he was very good too," Hershel told Patricia.

A moment later, Penny looked up to see the men on either side of her staring in Glenn's direction. He was writing on a piece of paper whilst attempting to hide it on his lap. Maggie looked across to the table and saw the three of them looking, Penny the only one who looked slightly amused. It seemed the game was up if they were planning on keeping their little meetings private.

The rest of dinner passed in pretty much the same manner and Penny was all too relieved when she was finally able to get away from the table, even if it was to help clean up. Carol had excused herself, saying she would take Daryl something to eat. Penny's guilt came to the front of her mind again upon hearing his name.

After she had left his room earlier, the fact that she had left Daryl alone with her father had slipped her mind. Daryl would have had plenty of time to inform Hershel of what happened in the stables if the older man had brought up the issue of the horse, which –If Penny knew her father like she thought she did- would definitely happen. But he hadn't seemed to be annoyed at her over dinner; it was directed to the others, so Daryl hadn't said anything. Great, now not only did she have to apologise, she owed him too.

The kitchen was mostly tidy now so Penny didn't think she would be missed if she left. Making her way up the stairs, she could hear Carol's soft voice coming from the room before the woman stepped out, closing the door behind her. Carol spotted Penny at the end of the corridor. Penny's own room was the one right next to Daryl's so she wasn't really sure what possessed her to actually tell Carol that she was going to see Daryl.

"Uhm… is he awake?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Yes but he needs to eat and get some rest so-"

"Well I won't be long."

She hadn't meant to sound rude. Carol was a fragile woman who didn't seem like she would be deliberately spiteful to someone but right now all Penny wanted to do was go in, say what she needed to and leave. Carol was trying to stop her from doing that. Penny stepped round her and walked to the door, turning back to see that the older woman was still watching her.

"Don't worry I won't wear him out," Penny told her, throwing Carol a smile that was supposed to be reassuring but turned rather sarcastic. Why wasn't she just leaving already? "I'll bring the plate down when he's done."

This time Carol seemed to get the message and turned back down the hall. Penny breathed a sigh of relief, she hated looking at Carol's pleading, emotional eyes; she always looked like she was going to burst into tears at any moment. Penny sobered when she realised she now had to face Daryl- a part of her hoping he had gone to sleep already and she could come back another time.

She turned the door knob and stuck her head into the room. He was turned away from her and she thought he might be asleep after all but when he heard the door creak, she was faced with the intense, blue stare she had seen earlier that day. Daryl's expression was irritated from what she could see in the soft lamp light. Penny swallowed, not knowing where to start. It was a shock when she registered that she was in fact nervous to speak to him… she had never exactly been a shy person.

"Why can' you people leave me alone?"

His voice broke through to her and she stepped further into the room, closing the door behind her, much to Daryl's annoyance- it meant she planned on staying. Penny took in the bandage around his head and the way he pulled the covers up over his chest protectively. She had been right about him not wanting to show off the scars.

"I wanted to talk to you," Penny replied, her voice was small, hesitant.

Daryl sighed. He preferred the attitude she had shown earlier than the way she was speaking now, as if she felt sorry for him. He couldn't stand people pitying him.

"'Bout what?"

"Earlier, I…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say. _I'm sorry I let you ride away on the horse I knew was a death trap…_

Daryl's eyes narrowed as he realised what she was going to say. He already knew that she must have known about the horse since her old man had mentioned it earlier.

"Knew 'bout the horse didn' you?"

Penny looked away from his accusing eyes as she slowly nodded her head, her arms folding across her chest, defensively.

"An' you just let me ride out on it?" Who was he kidding, she didn't owe him anything. She didn't even know him, why would she care if he got hurt? He just hadn't taken her as that much of a bitch.

"In my defence, you were being an asshole," Penny replied. She hadn't come here for an argument but she couldn't help but try to defend herself- call it a reflex. The glare that was fixed on Daryl's face wasn't helping either. "If you'd have just asked if you could take her…"

"So I don' ask _permission_ an' I deserve to die?"

"You're still alive aren't you?" She winced right after- that was harsh. She took a deep breath and continued quickly, she could see Daryl was about to say something and she was sure it would not be pleasant. "I didn't come in here to argue… Look, I'm sorry for not saying anything about Nelly. And I'm sorry you got hurt because of that. I didn't mean for that to happen."

The fact that she seemed genuinely sorry didn't quite satisfy Daryl but he didn't say anything else. Penny wanted to leave so badly but she had to know why he hadn't said anything. Daryl fixed his penetrating gaze upon her again.

"There some'en else?"

Penny hesitated again. "…You never told my Dad I knew you'd taken the horse." It was a statement of fact, not a question. Daryl didn't fail to notice it. "Why?"

It was Daryl's turn to hesitate. Why hadn't he told the old man he'd seen her and she hadn't tried to stop him? He honestly didn't know. Daryl would've liked to say that he had other things on his mind at the time but as soon as the horse had been brought up, he'd thought back to the conversation.

"Would'a been the point? Ain't like it'd do any good."

Penny was surprised. She thought he'd say something else, maybe about it meaning she owed him or he had something to hold against her. But no, he acted like he'd never even thought of giving her up. Penny suddenly felt a lot more respect for the man laid in front of her; maybe he was better than she originally gave credit him for.

"Thank you."

Now she knew she had to leave, Daryl had looked uncomfortable enough to begin with but her gratitude made him worse. He made a sound of acknowledgement and turned away. Penny took this as a dismissal and opened the door but not before noticing the still full tray of food on the bed side table.

"…You should try and eat something. It would put Carol's mind at rest, at least." She received no response and so walked out of the room.

Daryl waited until she had closed the door and her light footsteps had disappeared down the hallway before opening his eyes and looking over his shoulder to the food Carol had brought.

What was it with people being nice to him today? They all felt sorry for him- that was the answer. First Carol and now this new chick. Of course, as well as feeling sorry for him, they both felt like it was somehow their fault he was in this state. And yeah, maybe he would blame them. If Carol hadn't let Sophia run away and the girl, Penny, hadn't just let him ride off on a shit horse she knew would flip him when it felt like it, maybe he wouldn't have just spent half a day trying to climb up a damn embankment after pulling an arrow out of his side, killing off two walkers and putting up with his brother. He deserved a fucking medal after that but no what did he get? A fucking bullet to the head. It was the women and not the walkers that would eventually kill him off, he was sure of it.

Maybe he would just be better off on his own. He could find Merle, they'd go back to their way of living but did he really want that? Go back to his brother's drugged-up, addled ways and surviving just because they knew they could. Or stay with the group… they had food, water, shelter now and the little girl was still missing. Maybe he'd stay until they found Sophia but then if they were forced to move on again, who would catch the game for them? Daryl knew he was looking for excuses to stay. If he was going to be honest with himself, he'd realise that he had come to care about the rather complicated and sometimes annoying group of people. And in a strange way, he knew Merle was wrong… the group cared about him too. Well, some of them at least. It had almost hurt when Rick had told him he didn't owe the group anything; that he didn't have to look for Sophia alone. How wrong he had been. Daryl owed these people more than he wished to think about. They had let him stay, accepted him more than most people would. That meant more than even Daryl himself actually realised.

-8-

Penny had arrived back downstairs to find the house mostly empty, the others returning to their camp site for the night. She heard the banging on pots in the kitchen and figured someone must still be cleaning up. She was just about to head that way when Maggie burst from the dining room and disappeared out of the door. All Penny could do was stare at the place her sister had been until she recovered enough to follow.

By the time she was outside, it was difficult to see much in the black of the night but she could see Maggie's figure illuminated by the light coming from the house. She was heading towards the barn. This was enough to completely confuse Penny and make her even more suspicious. First Maggie takes off from the house into the night, and then she runs towards the barn, a place she never goes if she can avoid it. Something had to be happening.

After taking a quick look to make sure Beth was still in the kitchen and hadn't noticed Maggie's quick departure, Penny slipped out of the house and jogged over to the barn. She was praying that Maggie had just upset or something and needed a little time to herself- even if the barn was the worst place to do that, it was better than any other option.

The near she got, the more she began to recognise the sounds echoing through the silent night. The creaking of the barn doors, the hungry groans of the un-dead. Something had them worked up. Penny began to run faster and made it to the ladder just as Maggie appeared at the top, followed by a horrified Glenn.

"Maggie what the hell is going on?" she all but shouted at her sister. Penny was furious, the secret was out.

"I tried to stop him, he was already in there by the time I got here," Maggie told her, looking almost as horrified as Glenn did at that moment.

"Well what was he doing out here in the first place?"

"He thought it was a good place to… meet up."

Both girls seemed to have forgotten Glenn was there and that was fine by him. He couldn't take in what he had just seen. Walkers just strolling around in the barn. He had tried to get in the front doors… he would've been dead right now. He could still hear them, rattling at the walls that were holding them in, desperate to taste a bit of flesh. He could smell them too. How had no one ever noticed the stench radiating from the place? This was beyond bad.

"Now what are we supposed to do, huh? He'll tell everybody!"

"No, he won't. I'll talk to him…"

"You… You just- Walkers. You keep walkers… in the barn?"

Glenn bent forward and placed his hands on his knees, head towards the floor. He felt like he'd just ran a mile- he couldn't breathe. Maggie moved to stand beside him.

"Glenn, you can't say anything please," she begged him.

"Walkers, Maggie… I-"

"Listen to me," Penny spat as she walked over and pulled him up, not too nicely, by his arm. "You cannot say a thing. To anyone. Understand me?"

Glenn stared, wide eyed, at the furious woman in front of him. She was gripping his bicep tightly but he was too confused by everything that was happening to notice much. He nodded slightly once.

"This isn't your business, Glenn. So stay out of it."

**Yeah uhm this was supposed to be up yesterday but I started uni and I'm having problems with internet here which just about sucks soo… also there was going to be a different ending, well not different just longer but then I tried to write more and Doctor Who came on and I just broke down so I was too devastated to change it. Seriously did anyone watch it on saturday? My heart is forever broken. **

**Okay, thanks for the views/fav's/alerts. Over 600 views for 4 chapters is pretty good going I'm thinking so really thank you!**

**Piratejessieswaby: thank you! Hope you like this one too.**

**GatorGirl99: I'm glad you like her! Thanks for reviewing.**

**Leyshla Gisel: Hope the interaction in this one lives up to expectations too! I'm glad the last one didn't seem too OOC.**

**Emberka-2012: I've been trying to make her seem like Hershel rather than just a complete selfish bitch so I'm happy you can see it too! Thanks for reviewing again.**

**StardustIsMagic: Dude, Daryl could take whatever he wanted from me. I wouldn't have stopped him either but for slightly different reasons than Penny. I just couldn't see her telling Hershel about it, I mean he's not my dad and he would intimidate me and she's grown up with him sooo… Hope this one is good enough for you baby! Loves ya.**

**Padme400: Already told you this but again, your reviews make me beyond happy! I'm really glad you like it. This one is longer so I'm a bit happier with it. I'm glad the interaction was ok and yeah, I've mentioned this above but I do want her to seem like Hershel, I really like his character- he did everything he did to protect his family. The lying part literally just came to me, it wasn't going to be in originally but people seem to like it so I'm happy with it. Thanks for being an amazing reviewer!**

**Reviews motivate me soooo…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow guys I am so sorry for making you wait. Uni internet sucks. Haven't had any for over a week which meant I couldn't watch the episodes to get lines right and things, blah blah blah. In the end my amazing flatmate has let me use his. Anyway, enough excuses from me, here's chapter 6.**

Chapter 6 – _It's not that I'm forgiving myself, it's just I'm going through hell to try and think of words to save me._

Most times it's easy for people to look at old photographs of the past and think of happy times. Remember the people you met, the places you'd seen. But for Penny this wasn't one of those times. The photograph she held in her hand was actually a very happy photograph, taken in her college days. They'd taken a trip to Rome, being the dedicated history students they were, and they had loved every second of it. Now, when Penny looked at the photograph though she couldn't really remember the beautiful, ancient sites; she was too focused on the smiling faces of her friends. It was strange to look at them and instead of wondering how their jobs were, if they'd found a new boyfriend, if the landlord was still an ass, to wonder exactly which of them had been eaten… which had been infected… which, if any, were still alive somewhere.

Carter was there, standing right beside her, an arm wrapped around her waist. She knew exactly where he was of course, what his fate had been. In fact, Penny could go see him anytime she had the desire to- it didn't happen often. But if there was one thing Penny could remember from the trip, it would be him. He'd been an arrogant, idiot the whole time- she could distinctly remember slapping him at one point for daring to ask for the pretty, Italian waitress' phone number right in front of her. She knew it was a joke, but she never exactly found it funny when the girl reached into her pocket for a pen and notepad to write down that same phone number.

She wasn't going to admit that she missed him, at least not the way he was now or the way he was just before the outbreak. She missed the old him- the one who knew what to say to talk himself out of a sticky situation, who would randomly pull her to a stop in the middle of the street to kiss her simply because he felt like it. Penny realised that she was now romanticising the whole thing, it really hadn't been that great but it had still been fun- she was younger then, more care-free. Had the photo really been taken only four years ago? It felt like a different lifetime, well she supposed it was.

Sighing, Penny placed the photo frame back on the shelf, above her desk. She had only sat down to take a minute before she had to face the stress she knew today would bring but ended up taking that dreaded trip down memory lane instead. Just thinking about what was happening made her want to scream at someone.

First off, Glenn knew about the barn, which could range from being slightly less than ok to catastrophic, depending on the guy's ability to lie- or at least not say anything. Penny had warned him to back off last night, to stay out of business that wasn't his but Glenn just didn't seem like the type to be able to keep his mouth shut; he was jumpy and too irrational at times. That was why she planned on making Maggie do something. If anyone could convince Glenn, it would be her. Penny hoped it would be enough, otherwise if the group found out it would be nothing short of a war between them. It was painfully clear which side the outsiders stood on with regards to the infected.

That was the next problem. The group's presence was still weighing down on her- every day they were getting more and more comfortable, soon it would be far too difficult to make them leave. It's not that Penny thought they were bad people, in any other situation she probably would have befriended some of them but these times were anything but normal and people changed in a split second. She couldn't afford to become best friends with a group of outsiders they had no idea about. Penny was almost positive that should it come down to it, the group would take control of the farm. They didn't seem like a very strong group at first sight but when you studied them and got down to individual abilities, it was easy to see how they had stayed alive in this world and how they would continue to do that. It wasn't not like Carl was still seriously injured, Penny had spotted him helping to feed the chickens this morning- he was more than capable of travelling so really the only thing holding them there was Sophia. Well, Daryl too.

Daryl. The latest problem. She owed him now- he hadn't said anything about Penny's part in the Nelly situation, he didn't even seem to be that mad; no more than usual at least. The situation was beyond confusing and it just made her even madder to not know what was happening.

Penny pulled on her boots and stepped out of her room to find her father leaving the room beside hers- the one Daryl was currently occupying. She didn't even know how to begin explaining how uncomfortable that was. A strange guy in the bedroom next to hers whilst she was asleep? She had checked the lock on her door three times before going to sleep.

"How is he?" Penny asked her father as he took the few steps towards where she stood. Hershel wasn't even surprised by the question since he figured his daughter wanted Daryl in the house about as much as she wanted to be eaten.

"Healing. I tried to convince him to stay in there until the stitches have settled properly but he's insisting on going back outside," Hershel replied. "That man is about as stubborn as you."

Penny's eyes narrowed as she glared at him for that particular comment.

"Well if he doesn't want to stay here, let him leave." She told him, ignoring the stubborn remark.

"I'm not about to force him to stay. He's getting dressed. I did manage to convince him to take it easy for a while. Seems to have listened to that."

Penny nodded, trying to seem like she really couldn't care less and succeeding. She was relieved he was leaving the house and would apparently be laid up for a few days. Hershel took advantage of her lack of answer and stepped around her, heading back downstairs. Penny glanced towards Daryl's door -she could hear him moving around inside- before following after her father.

She reached the bottom just as Maggie emerged from the kitchen, about to head out of the door. Their eyes met for a moment and Maggie seemed to almost shy aware from her sister and hurry out of the house but Penny followed, catching the door as it was about to close.

"Maggie," she called out as she shut the door to give them a little more privacy. It would be no good for someone to overhear this conversation. Maggie turned back, resigned to the fact she would have to face this at some point. "Have you spoken to him?"

Maggie threw her an irritated look. "Not yet… I don't even know what to say to him."

Last night had been even worse for Maggie. She had lain awake for hours wondering if she had just ruined her family's secret because she got too close to Glenn. Her father had warned her about doing just that. Then of course Penny had to go crazy on him and grab the already horrified man whilst threatening him into silence. So no, she hadn't gone to seek out said horrified man.

"Well think and do it fast."

"I'm trying here, Penny."

"Try harder," Penny whispered, harshly- a lot sharper than originally intended. "You're the one he'll listen to and this can't get out."

"I know!"

Penny nodded to indicate behind Maggie. "Here's your chance."

Maggie turned towards the area where the group had set up their camp. Glenn was standing with binoculars trained on the barn. He really couldn't get more obvious if he tried. She sighed as she picked up the basket of peaches from beside the door and walked in that direction. Penny tried to focus on their conversation but had little luck- she was a bit too far away to lip read.

Patricia seemed to appear out of nowhere suddenly and Penny jumped slightly. The older woman informed her of Nelly's return to the field after being missing since throwing Daryl in the woods the previous day. Penny agreed to go and take care of the horse but she was incredibly reluctant. She wanted to be there for Maggie but it seemed her sister had already said what she wanted to.

A little while later and Penny had managed to calm the still spooked horse enough to lead her back to the stables. After removing the saddle and reigns, she'd washed Nelly down, really only to give herself something to do but after delaying going back to the house for as long as she could, Penny forced herself to leave.

She walked past the camp site just as Andrea emerged from the tent she soon realised was Daryl's. Penny couldn't help but think the woman was brave- if it had been her who had shot the guy in the head, she would not have the guts to go in there without reinforcements. Penny paused in her steps, receiving a slightly strained smile from Andrea as she looked her way. It wasn't an unfriendly smile, but it was most definitely a wary one- neither woman knew how to react to the other.

Penny waited for Andrea to be out of the immediate area before slowly making her way towards the tent. Why, she didn't really know. She didn't want to admit that she was actually interested in how he was. She just felt slightly responsible- it was kind of like an almost moral obligation. Penny guessed that Andrea felt the same way. They'd both had some sort of hand in his injuries.

Daryl lifted his head as another shadow fell across the wall of his tent. Jeez, he was popular these days. Honestly though, he hadn't really minded Andrea's visit- she'd apologised but he had understood why she had done it. It's not like she intentionally shot _him_, she was protecting their group; that he could understand. He probably would've done the same thing, except he wouldn't have missed. He surprised even himself though when he added on the slight threat at the end. It had almost had a joking quality to it even if the words that were spoken were true- Andrea had better pray he was not going to get back up if it ever happened again. Daryl was getting comfortable with them and he didn't really know if it was a good or bad thing.

The shadow was still standing at the side of the tent- the side that wasn't see through but it was obviously a woman. From the height and outline of the person, Daryl could have taken a good guess at who it was but the figure seemed to take a breath before stepping away from the opaque side and into his view. The 'door' to the tent was still open and Penny stood in front of it, awkwardly looking at him.

"…Hey," she managed to mutter. She really did not want to be there now. It was awkward and unnecessary. Her greeting received a nod in response from Daryl who went back to poking an arrow through the material of his tent. Penny frowned, he was obviously bored. "Keep that up and there'll be bugs all over this place."

Daryl just looked at her.

"…How're you doing?" Penny tried again to get some sort of verbal response. She wasn't about to stand and talk to herself.

"Better if people'd stop askin'," The comment wasn't a dig at her, he just wasn't used to people asking him that- much less someone he didn't even know. The group he could almost understand but the girl had no business there. Penny was just relieved he still had his attitude, although she had to stop herself from making a biting comment back at him but because she stopped the remark, she found there was nothing to say.

"D'ya want some'ing?" Daryl asked after a long silence where Penny just stood awkwardly in the door way.

"I erm… I was asked to… check in on you. Make sure you weren't, you know, doing too much." Penny replied. Her conscience was screaming at her to quit with the lies- she was getting too good at that lately. But what else could she say? She reasoned with herself; he would go all defensive if he knew she was there because she felt guilty. Not that he was totally welcoming in the first place but he was at least being polite with her today… almost.

Daryl grunted in response. An action that made Penny raise her eyebrows at him- it was rather annoying. Daryl caught the less than impressed look on her face but he just went back to poking his tent. It was obvious that they were not getting much out of this conversation.

"Don' need no-one checkin' up on me. Not goin' anywhere." He sounded thoroughly irritated by this. Penny watched as he picked up a book off the bed, flipped through the pages and went to throw it to the floor before seeming to stop himself and place it down with more care. The frown was instantly placed back on his face as he considered the book. It was as if the paper pages were confusing him.

"What's the book?"

Daryl's eyes flickered back up to her as he took in her question. She was actually trying to have a conversation which pleased him less than if she'd started an argument, at least then he'd know what the girl was trying to get out of it.

Penny walked slightly further into the tent to look at the cover, getting a surprise as she did so. She looked back up to Daryl, smirking at his choice of literature.

"Not really what I would've expected from you," it was true- there were no pictures. Daryl's eyes narrowed into slits again at the obvious taunting in her voice.

"Still here?" He replied. Penny took the not so subtle hint and backed up to the tent opening as Daryl once again picked up his arrow and began to puncture the plastic lining. The girl had been a distraction for a little while but she was getting more irritating by the second. Honestly, could anyone keep up with her? One minute she was almost nice- checking up on him- but then she just turned into a bitch. Penny was a fine example of why he tended to stay away from women.

-8-

The women had staged an intervention- well Beth and Patricia. Rick's group were beginning gun training and both knew that they needed some form of protection should something arise. Right now, they were all sitting ducks. They had planned it out, thought of exactly how to put forward their ideas to Hershel since they weren't about to do this without his permission. They had cornered him in the dining room.

"We have to really consider this Hershel. You can shoot, but me and the girls? We're pretty much defenceless," Patricia told him, trying to appeal to his protective nature. He had been adamant at first that it wasn't happening, now it was easy to see that he was coming round to the idea and so Beth took her turn to speak up.

"It's a good idea Daddy… I'd feel safer if I knew how."

Looking at the youngest, most innocent of his children and seeing her begging him to allow her to learn how to shoot a deadly weapon truly broke his heart. Maggie and Penny using a gun he could just about accept, but Beth? In any other situation he never would have agreed but Patricia was right- they were defenceless.

"Fine, you have my permission."

-8-

Penny was completely unaware of how she had been roped into asking Rick to allow them to join the gun training sessions. She had walked into the house to see Patricia and Beth preparing to leave and her father had took her aside to explain what was happening and that while he didn't like the idea, he would very much appreciate it if Penny would go with them. Apparently her mistrust for the group made her a useful tool.

So now she made her way over to where Rick was stood with Shane and Jimmy, who seemed to spend a lot of time with the other males now.

"We were wondering if we could join you for gun training today," Penny said to Rick as soon as she was close enough. Even she had to admit it was a pretty good idea but Rick didn't seem to agree.

"Hershel's been very clear. I can't involve any of you in what we do without his ok."

"Well he's not exactly thrilled by the idea-"

"But he gave us permission," Beth cut in. She was eager to just get on with this and Penny tended to state all the bad things before getting to the point.

"Otis was the only one who knew guns. Now he's gone, we gotta learn to protect ourselves," Patricia spoke up. "Their father saw the sense in that."

Rick still looked reluctant. "No offence, but I'll ask Hershel myself."

Penny actually felt some kind of respect build up again for that. Clearly Rick was a man who learned from his mistakes.

"Fine by me," she stated before leading Rick back up to the house.

-8-

The sound of gunshots and shattering glass filled the air. It was rather deafening. Penny held the pistol in her hand the way Shane had showed them. She lined it up and fired at the green bottle that was her target, wincing when the bullet flew straight past- not even making a scratch. She glanced at Patricia beside her just as the older woman fired and hit her target straight, smashing it.

"Try again."

Penny turned to find Shane behind her. He nodded to the area in front of her, an indication to carry on. She focused back on the target and raised her arms up in front of her.

"Line it up."

She looked down the gun and lined it up with the bottle.

"Now fire."

She squeezed the trigger, instinctively wincing at the noise and backlash of the gun. The top of the bottle shattered as the bullet hit its target. It wasn't a complete break but hey, you're supposed to aim for the head anyway. Penny smiled bitterly at the thought; it was strange to think that she would actually shoot someone.

"Not bad. Again."

She rolled her eyes at Shane's insistence but she did have to admit he was a really good teacher.

"Used to be better at this," She told him.

"How's that?" he replied, not quite sure what she meant.

"You're not my first teacher. I could actually hit something back then."

Shane was truly confused now, he'd assumed since the Greene's wanted to come and learn that they wouldn't have had previous experience. "Otis?"

"Nah," Penny replied, smiling at the thought of Otis teaching them anything. "Ex-boyfriend. Country boy."

Shane laughed slightly, nodding in acceptance. It was a strange experience for both of them- they'd never really spoken before yet here Penny was telling him about her past. True, it was a rather insignificant detail but it was more than she'd told anyone else. Shane just gave off a protective vibe that she could somehow relate to, although hers was less intense than his. Penny turned to fire again, this time hitting the bottom, unbroken half of the bottle. Shane gave her a quick nod and left her to it.

Penny found that once she had once again got the hang of shooting, it was enjoyable. She and Beth had decided to start a game out it at one point- just simple points for hitting the target in certain places. She had a rather enjoyable afternoon. Until she returned to the farm.

Hershel called his two oldest daughters into the dining room. He calmly stood at the head and gestured for them both to take seat- both girls were well aware of the storm hidden beneath the surface.

"Had a nice little talk with Dale today," He informed them, casually. "Any guesses what the chosen topic of conversation was?"

The sister's exchanged a glance- yes, they could guess but they really hoped it wasn't what they were thinking.

"No ideas?" Hershel continued to stare at them, his gaze penetrating. "Told me he'd gone for a walk this morning. Happened to walk past the barn…"

Both girls tensed, knowing what was coming. Penny tried to keep her expression passive but Maggie's wide eyed look said it all. Hershel had only had his suspicions that the girls had known something about the situation; they'd been far too secretive lately with meaningful glances and private conversations.

"Now I'm trying to stay calm and discuss this, so would one of you care to tell me what happened?"

Penny looked at her sister who seemed a little lost for words. "Glenn found the barn. He must've told Dale."

Hershel nodded, accepting the answer but his hands closed tighter on the back of the chair he was standing behind. This didn't go unnoticed. "You're gonna tell me the whole story."

A quick look in his direction confirmed that the comment was directed towards Maggie. She was extremely hesitant to tell the story but her father was beyond pissed now- the longer she waited, the worse he would get.

"I was gonna meet with him- with Glenn I mean," she started, shakily. "I didn't know he wanted to go to the barn. I tried to stop him Daddy, but he was already there. He'd already saw… then-"

She stopped, realising that if she continued, she would throw Penny into the spotlight too.

"…then?" her father prompted.

"Then I found them. Followed Maggie out… I told him to keep his mouth shut. To stay out of our business. Clearly he's as bad a listener as he is a liar." Penny told him with more confidence than she felt at that moment. She hated when her father was mad.

A silence followed as everyone tried to process what was happening. Two outsiders now knew about the 'people' in the barn. It wasn't as much of a bad thing unless it got back to the more… trigger friendly group members. Out of them all, they were almost lucky it had been Glenn and Dale.

"You stay with the boy. Make sure he doesn't say anything, understand me?" Hershel said to Maggie, a stern edge to his voice to which Maggie nodded, solemnly. "If the group finds out, it will be a massacre."

**I'm just freaking out because first 8 MORE DAYS GUYS! For the UK at least… not sure about everywhere else. TWD was like a special edition in one of the tv mags I saw in a shop today and I started hyperventilating in the middle of the aisle. In honour of this (and since I don't know when I'm going to update again) if you review, tell me what you're most looking forward to from season three, I love hearing about it! **

**Secondly this has over 1,000 views! I'm so happy about that. Plus, thanks for favouriting/ following this story and my account (which still feels weird to me but THANK YOU!)**

**REVIEW REPLIES!**

**Piratejessieswaby: LOL yes! Hopefully anyway, I'm dying to get into the action parts. Thanks for reviewing again!**

**Padme400: I just couldn't deal with that episode. It was too much. I'm still not over it. Thank you! I'm trying to keep to the episodes without sticking to the scenes (might have mentioned this to you before). I was so worried I'd write Daryl wrong! I mean I know he becomes more sociable in season 2 and I'm not really showing that with Penny but he's only just met her so… but yeah I loved writing his monologue part!**

**StardustIsMagic: yeah sorry for the wait for 'MORE'. I was just about to write something in response to your review then realised that it would be a HUGE spoiler so nevermind, let's write something else. Ermmmm Penny and Carol just have different ways of thinking etc so I don't think they'd ever be best friends (no spoilers from me).**

**Emberka-2012: yeah Daryl surprises us all I think! He's such a complex character. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Leyshla Gisel: Yes, and a little more here for you! Thank you for the review!**

**One more thing before I end this very long author's note and this is rather a random question but do you guys think the way I spell Hershel is right? Random I know! But most websites spell it Herschel so I just don't know really… yeah I'm leaving now! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Just a little note on the last chapter since it was pointed out in a review. Hershel had suspicions about Maggie and Penny knowing that Dale had found out- he didn't know what had actually happened (i.e. that it was Glenn). He had seen the girls talking privately, being secretive etc. and then Maggie looked far too guilty when he brought it up. Plus, he pretty much raised them on his own- he knows them inside out. Sorry, that scene was rubbish; that's what I get for writing at 4 in the morning… When I figure out how to edit the chapters whilst they're still up, I'll fix it.**

* * *

Chapter 7 – _If God's the game that you're playing, well we must get more acquainted_.

Maggie didn't know how the day could possibly get any worse. She'd been forced to confront Glenn about the situation with the barn that morning, and then her father had found out that she and Penny had known all along and was now unbelievably pissed at them- though Maggie seemed to be getting the worst of it. Maggie was aware that it was probably her fault, she had gotten close to Glenn -despite being warned off- and she had been the one to act guilty when Hershel had brought up the issue. Sometimes she cursed the fact that her father seemed to be able to read her like a book.

She hadn't wanted to go on the supply run. Glenn had been hesitant to allow her to go but she didn't particularly care about his opinion on the matter at that time; she was pissed at him for telling Dale. He wasn't to blame though really and although Maggie was aware of that, she needed someone to be annoyed at for a while other than herself- which was one of the reasons she had gone with him. Then she had found out about Lori's morning after pills. She felt sick to her stomach at the thought of what the woman was trying to do- what they were helping her do. Maggie had never really been all that judgemental about people's personal choices, especially when it came to things like this, but since she was already pissed at the world, why not add Lori into that group too. Of course, it was when trying to find the pills that she had been attacked.

It had happened so quickly, Maggie couldn't react; not that it would have helped- the decaying hand was gripping her arm so tightly, too tightly. The moans he, no _it,_ was making sent chills down to her bones as its jaws snapped with anticipation of its next meal. Never had Maggie been so terrified. Even when Glenn had managed to sever one side of its neck -enough that the head was left hanging and it lost balance, falling to the floor- she was still in a state of pure shock and horror. That _thing_ had been a _person _and it had tried to _eat_ her. If it wasn't for Glenn's comforting arms wrapping around her, after ensuring the thing was dead, Maggie was sure she would have collapsed.

Upon arriving back at the farm, her horror morphed into anger ten times as strong as earlier. All the built up emotions of the day and then the near death experience were beginning to over load her. She had spotted Lori near her tent and stormed over, ready to just about explode at the other woman- and that's exactly what she did. Maggie had almost died because Lori wanted to abort her child. Well she could risk her own ass next time because there was no way Maggie was playing delivery girl again.

She shoved past a stunned Glenn, walking away before she could give up resisting the urge to slap someone. Glenn just had to follow her though and Maggie found herself admitting all the things that had been on her mind for days- how the group used Glenn for their own purposes, as walker bait. It had been the first time she called them walkers instead of the infected or just sick people and she had to admit it somehow felt right now to distinguish them. The fact that she didn't want to lose him turned out to be the hardest thing to admit.

She was sitting on her bed- knees up to her chest, head resting on her arms- when Penny found her; she had known something was wrong when she'd heard Maggie come into the house and head straight for her room. Maggie had known Penny would come find her eventually.

"Maggs, what's wrong?" Penny asked, taking a seat beside her sister.

Maggie didn't reply, hearing the sympathy and concern in her sister's voice had broken down the rest of her defences. She sniffled quietly as she attempted to hold onto her tears, burying her face into the crook of her arm. Penny moved immediately, placing a hand on Maggie's shoulder to show she was there more than anything.

"What happened Maggie?"

This time Maggie did break, her words suddenly tumbling out of her mouth yet still muffled by her arm.

"The pharmacy… a walker… it grabbed me and I-" She broke off, unable to stop the sob that racked through her body at the memory of what had happened. Her eyelids were clenched shut as she tried to block out the image of _it_.

Penny pulled Maggie to her, wrapping her arms around the weeping girl who buried her face into her older sister's shoulder, fully appreciating the comfort. It was then that Penny actually considered the words that she had pushed out at the sight of her little sister's tears. The thought that Maggie had been put in danger was terrifying and made her tighten her grip. The fact that Maggie had called it 'a walker' didn't escape Penny's notice either but her choice of words was not too much of a concern at that moment. She was more concerned with finding out if Maggie was hurt but this thought was even more terrifying than the last. What if she had been bitten? There was no coming back from that. She absently ran her fingers through Maggie's short hair, something that seemed to calm them both.

"Did it… hurt you?" Penny eventually asked in a very small voice, one that was not suited to her at all.

Maggie pulled out of Penny's arms, running her hands over her cheeks to wipe away the streams of tears that had fallen. She shook her head, no it hadn't hurt her.

"Just grabbed my arm… tried to pull me closer. I couldn't get away, Penny it was holding me so tight. Glenn… he hit it but it just got back up again. He stabbed it in the head and it was still making noises… still moving. There was so much blood."

Penny's eyes narrowed in concern and also disgust as she listened to the description. Maggie just stared straight ahead. Penny reached out to take her hand.

"Hey, you're home now. It's gonna be ok- you're safe here."

"I know…" Maggie replied, her shock slowly dissolving and she felt her anger flare again. "Just can't believe I nearly died for a bottle of lotion and _abortion_ pills!"

Penny jerked her hand out of Maggie's as she stared at her sister, wide-eyed; it was her turn to be shocked.

"Maggie. Tell me no, please." She begged. They couldn't be Maggie's… there was no way her sister could go through that. It wasn't an experience she wished on anyone.

"What? They're not for me if that's what you're asking!" Maggie retorted, indignantly.

Penny sighed in relief, grateful she hadn't been so stupid to get herself pregnant in the first place. "Then whose?"

"Lori's."

Penny leaned back, supporting herself on her elbows, as she took in that piece of information. Honestly, she did not expect to find that out today.

"Lori's pregnant? …wow."

"Guessing she won't be for much longer." Maggie said, a bitterness running through her tone, showing exactly how happy she was about it. Penny glanced at her quickly before averting her eyes to the floor- Maggie had never really gotten as worked up about it before. Now she was wondering exactly how much her sister had hidden…

"How did you even know which pills to get?" Penny questioned her. Would they even have abortion pills in an ordinary pharmacy?

"I didn't. She wrote it down- morning after pills. A lot of them."

"Well maybe she's just being precautious… how do you know she's actually pregnant? Would those pills even work for that?" Penny began to ramble in her confusion. She was fairly certain morning after pills only worked before conception, hence the 72 hour window in which you had to take them.

"Jeez, Penny _I'm _not the expert! It's not like I'm the one experienced in having abortions!" Maggie hissed at her, throwing a pointed look at Penny in the process. She was tired and emotionally drained- the constant questions about things she didn't know were just making her worse. The older girl recoiled as if she'd been slapped.

"Just because you're pissed at the whole fucking world, doesn't give you the right to take it out on me. Don't judge what you don't understand." Penny managed to retort, strangely calm.

Maggie took a deep breath and backed down. She'd expected Penny to start screaming at her, yelling hateful things back but it seemed her sister was as drained as Maggie was.

"I didn't mean it like that,"

"Yeah you did," Penny replied. "…did you think that at the time?"

Maggie took a moment to answer. She knew how much her opinion and support had meant to Penny. Could she really just take that away? But then again, she hadn't really thought much about the actual decision; she had just been there to listen to Penny as she made the decision by herself. Why did this have to happen _today_?

"It was your decision."

Penny laughed softly. "That's a yes then."

Even though she now knew Maggie's true opinion, she was fairly sure it wouldn't have made any difference to her decision at the time. She had been young, lacked the maturity that only came with age. She'd acted rashly yes, but it was the right thing to do then. Finding out about Lori was just bringing it back- it was something she preferred to keep locked away but she knew how much it had helped her to have someone to talk to… did Lori have that? Penny guessed that based on the fact she had sent Glenn to get the pills rather than say Rick or Shane who maybe had a better idea about these things, she hadn't told anyone else. Then again, maybe she'd told Carol…

"Does Rick know?" she asked Maggie. "About Lori, I mean."

Maggie shook her head. "Glenn said only he and Dale knew."

Penny sighed, resigned to the fact that she was about to be the open ear for someone she didn't know and had no intention of getting to know. But things like this were hard on your own- even if she did have Glenn and Dale, it was different. Lori would probably appreciate it more from someone who understands; and honestly, men were not exactly great with these things anyway.

-8-

After asking around for Lori -as discreetly as she could manage; it wouldn't be good for people to start asking questions- she eventually ended up by the right tent. Penny could see Lori inside and so she called out to her, making the older woman jump and stuff something into her pocket- the pills if Penny had to guess. Looked like she'd got there at the right time.

"Uhm… hi. Everything ok?" Lori asked, slightly surprised at who it was that had come to find her. Penny was definitely the least accepting of the Greene girls. If Maggie had told her sister what had happened, this wasn't about to be a pleasant conversation.

"Can we talk?" Penny responded, her expression giving nothing away. Lori nodded and stepped aside to allow Penny access into the tent before zipping up the opening behind her. Lori took a moment to compose herself before turning to face the girl in front of her.

"Maggie told you." She stated, already knowing it was true.

Penny nodded, confirming it. "Everything."

Lori inwardly winced at the implication. She'd fooled herself into believing that Maggie would have just blamed her for sending her to the pharmacy and not told Penny about the pregnancy or the pills. She could have handled an angry Penny much better than the one she was seeing- sympathetic.

"Right… so what're you doing here then?" Lori questioned, as casually as she could whilst beginning to pick up some clothes that were lying around the tent. It was easier to have this conversation whilst not looking at Penny.

"The pills… will they even work?"

Lori turned back; she was still expecting angry comments, much more like Maggie's reaction. Hershel was a man of God, she was positive he would have raised his daughter's that way too- surely they would all be against things like this? Lori ran a tired hand over her face, taking a seat on the bed.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

Penny felt a surge of sympathy for the older woman. She was exhausted. Her son had just been shot, her husband had some sort of hero complex and now she was pregnant. And on top of all that the world had gone to shit with dead people walking.

"Lori, I know we're not exactly best friends," Penny began. "But I know what you're going through. Well maybe not all of it but definitely this part."

If Lori was shocked before, she was stunned now. Was Penny really telling her what she thought she was?

"You've done this before?"

Penny nodded, "I know everyone is different an'all but I know when I was trying to make up my mind… having someone to talk to helped me. And I never had someone that understood."

The surprises just kept coming with this girl. Lori wanted to take up the offer… but could she really off load all her fears onto a girl as young as Penny? A girl who, by her own admission, had done this exact same thing… she had already talked to Dale and that had done nothing but confirm everything for her.

"Look, the offer's there. Never helps to rush into things but I'm guessing you've already thought this through a lot… maybe it'll help, I don't know." Penny tried again. She wasn't about to force Lori to talk but it could help her. She wasn't exactly the heartless bitch everyone seemed to think she was- if she could help someone going through something as hard as this, she would put personal opinions aside.

Lori stared at the young girl in front of her. When they had first come to the farm, Penny down right refused to let them onto the land but she'd been given little choice. She'd refused to help anything to do with them or even go near them if she had any other option, unless it involved her family too. Maybe the girl, who already seemed like she'd been through so much, had finally found someone in the group she could relate to and just maybe Lori had too.

"I just really do not know what to do," she began. Penny took a seat on the opposite bed, relieved that Lori was actually going to talk to her and the trip down here hadn't been for nothing.

"You haven't told Rick, right?"

Lori sighed heavily, "No I haven't. I know what he'd say… that it'll be fine, we'll keep it safe. He wouldn't understand. We can barely keep Carl alive and he's not completely dependent on us. What chance would a _baby_ have in this world?"

Penny couldn't help but agree. At least they were relatively safe on the farm but what would happen to a baby once they had to leave? It wouldn't know it had to keep quiet, it couldn't protect itself. And the group had been practically starving when they'd found the farm… a baby would need constant food, not to mention diapers, wipes etc. It would be an extremely hard life. But was that reason enough to not give it a chance to live or was it better to take away the possibility of it dying horrifically before it was even aware? Now she could see Lori's problem.

"Maybe you would find a way to keep it safe… keep both your kids safe. If that's what you want. I don't know how but all I do know is I never told the father until it was too late. He was… well he wasn't too happy about that," Penny told her, looking at the ground- remembering exactly how unhappy the father had been.

"You're telling me to tell Rick?"

"Not telling you to… I told you I understand and I do. If you want to do this on your own, it's your decision but maybe it should be his too."

Lori sighed in frustration, "This isn't about me and Rick, it's about Carl and it's about the group… a baby would put everyone in danger."

"Maybe. But is that worth not giving it a chance? …if there's one thing I regret, it's not giving my baby that chance."

Lori looked down to the floor, considering the words before meeting Penny's eyes again.

"Do you regret doing it?"

"…No. I did the right thing for me. You've just got to work out what it is for you."

-8-

Penny sat on the porch that night, staring out into the darkness. Admittedly, she had always been a little afraid of the dark. Not because of the colour or the dark itself but because of the unknown. You could never tell what was lurking around, waiting to jump out- especially now. But somehow, gazing out into the black surroundings from the safety of the porch didn't seem so bad- the lights from the lamps and the house behind her ensured that she could at least see something. It provided a great place to be alone, to think. It had been an emotionally draining day for everyone. Penny actually found it difficult to believe how today's events had actually managed to fit themselves into twelve hours. It was another of those surreal moments.

She hadn't seen her father since their meeting about Dale- she had been tactfully avoiding him. When Hershel was mad, it was not pleasant for anyone. She should have known her father would work it out though, it felt like he could see straight through her sometimes and she knew he could see straight through Maggie; he'd admitted it to her once. But had she really gone to the shooting lesson this morning? It seemed like days ago. Being stuck on the farm was beginning to get to her. Penny would need to get away soon, even for just a little while. Maybe she would take the next supply run… she'd done it before, no problem. Yes, that's what she would do- tomorrow she was going into town. If nothing else came up of course, which it tended to do around there.

The sound of the door opening as the light flooded out alerted her to another presence. Beth popped her head out, looking around before locating Penny in the far corner. It was freezing outside and Penny only had a checked shirt on- Beth couldn't help but wonder how she had managed to stay out this long.

"Hey, you coming in?"

"In a sec," Penny answered her, taking another look into the darkness.

"It's freezing out here, you'll catch hyperthermia or something. Come on Penny."

Penny laughed slightly at Beth's childish whining before pulling herself up and following her younger sister into the house.

-8-

The sun was peeking out above the trees, illuminating the morning sky with its colours. The birds were chirping in the trees and the smell of breakfast cooking completed the scene and made it seem like a perfect morning.

The group gathered around the small campfire while Carol made breakfast for them all. They were silent, each either gathered in their own thoughts or simply enjoying the quiet. Glenn sat slightly further away from everyone else. He hadn't felt like a part of the group for days. The secret that was sitting heavily on his shoulders made him feel too guilty- plus, by his own admission, he sucked at lying. He wasn't too sure he wouldn't just blurt something out.

He looked over towards the house owned by the people that had caused him to feel like this. Really, he shouldn't have gone into the barn in the first place- it was private property- but who expects a hay barn to be filled with such a dark secret? Glenn's eyes found Maggie's as she stood on the porch, watching him. She shook her head; already knowing he was getting restless enough to let her family's secret slip. A look to his right and Glenn's eyes met Dale's. The old man nodded his head- he wanted the group to know.

Who would he choose to protect? The girl who he had slept with, and quite possibly had feelings for, or the man whose opinion mattered most to him…

He took a deep breath and walked over to the group, stopping just next to Rick and Lori's tent. He braced himself for what he was about to do. Maggie would hate him, Penny would probably kill him- but this was about protecting the group, doing the right thing.

"Erm… guys?"

Most people gave him a quick sideways glance but carried on with their meals- if only they knew how much of an impact his next words would have.

"So… the barn's full of walkers."

* * *

**Cliffhanger! Well almost since we know what happens next. I always loved that scene so it felt like a great way to end it. Erm, I hope you're ok with me just dropping little pieces about Penny here and there… I'm not about to sit and write out her whole biography in one chapter but there needs to be a backstory and everything will fit together eventually. I loved writing Maggie at the beginning since she's definitely my favourite female character, hoping she was believable enough. Also, I know people hate Lori but I kind of don't so I wanted to get that interaction in there too; show the similarities between her and Penny as I assure you, there are a few.**

**You probably noticed I stuck to spelling Hershel that way despite people telling me it's usually spelt the other way. I didn't purposefully ignore anyone; to me it just looks better. Creative liberties and all that…**

**SO views/alerts/favs THANK YOU! I love each and every one of you.**

**Reviews: **

**Piratejessieswaby: Penny always seems to get in some sort of trouble… most of it she does herself so don't feel bad lol. Thanks for reviewing again!**

**Emberka-2012: Penny actually tries with Daryl (sometimes at least) but he doesn't know her and doesn't really want to so it's not all that important to him to say something. Hope the AN at the beginning hoped to clear it up a little… I am sorry for the bad scene!**

**Padme400: I just don't think it would be very realistic to keep sticking Penny in actual scenes when she really shouldn't be there. I'm trying to make this more about the Greene's view more than anything and hopefully I'm doing that. I'm glad you see things the way I do, I'm just not one for Daryl meeting a person and jumping straight into bed with them. Saying that though, I do have big plans for the two of them… Thank you for reviewing again!**

**StardustIsMagic: I know how much you like spoilers. I actually meant I didn't want to write the spoilers on here since other people might enjoy spoiler free zones. You already know what will happen with Penny & Carol… forcing me to give you nasty spoilers -.- yeah, I really like writing about her past but I don't want to go into the whole flashback thing so it makes it slightly more difficult but I'm definitely going to try and get her adventurous side back somehow. I just don't see how OC's can somehow know there's something wrong with Shane so I figured, let's show off their similarities. She respects him. Glad you like Daryl! I mentioned it above but they have only just met and we all know it takes a while for him to actually trust someone. Thank you babe, love you!**

**Bigpinkstork: I really don't know. The more official websites spell it the way I do but the rest spell it the other way. Thanks for the help though!**

**Honeyconcha: thank you! I love the Greenes but they were always sort of in the background so I really wanted to let them shine for a while. Hope this was quick enough for you!**

**Lucy: wow, thank you! I can't wait to write more between her and Daryl and I have a little feeling we won't have to wait much longer for that… nice spoiler for you. Yes! Barn scene is amazing and I hope I can do it justice in the next chapter!**

**One more thing! I'm pretty sure season 3 starts tonight in some places… am I right? If not sorry… but I do have to request a SPOILER FREE REVIEW BOX please! Unless Daryl dies… then you can tell me. So yeah, I'll probably find a way to watch it tomorrow (my time obvs) but until then! HOPE YOU GUYS LOVE IT!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – _God and his priests and his kings turn their faces, even they feel the cold._

There was an uneasy tension across the Greene farm. It hung in the air and made the already heavy atmosphere all the more thicker. It was a bit of a mystery as to what exactly had caused it, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what it had to do with. Too many secrets had been floating around- none of them as protected as their keepers liked to believe. But isn't that always what happens when you throw people together in a completely different environment? Nothing ever stays secret for long.

The cooler weather was beginning to draw in, bringing with it a slight sting from the cold nights. Penny was in one of the many vegetable patches surrounding the farm, pulling up some of the more mature things growing. With everything that was happening and the fact that they now had one less farm hand, the work had been getting more and more neglected. Plus they now had three times the amount of people who were eating the food, which was a definite drain on resources. Why her father hadn't just allowed Rick's group to help with the chores was beyond her. Truthfully, she wouldn't mind if they helped out a little…

It had been 4 days since the group had arrived and with them had come more problems and drama than the farm had seen in a long time. They could be rather rude and sometimes controlling but somehow, they'd managed to stick to Hershel's strict boundaries; mostly down to Rick's leadership. Penny couldn't deny that her opinion was changing slightly. She still wanted them gone, no doubt about it but that was mostly just to protect the secret of the barn; although she was now questioning how long they had left until the secret came out since Glenn and Dale knew too. Her opinion on specific members was what was changing. She found she had become tolerable of them, even going as far as to say there were a few she actually liked. It would be strange to watch them go but she wasn't going to deny it was for the best.

Picking up the now full basket of vegetables, Penny began to make her way back up to the house. She was taking her time, in no real rush to get back. Having time to herself was becoming a luxury since privacy seemed to be a thing of the past now. The fields weren't far away; in fact if she looked properly, she would be able to see whoever stood on the RV roof keeping watch. This time though as she glanced briefly towards it, there was no one stood on the roof. There was always someone on watch- more often than not it was Dale.

As Penny reached the small patch of trees that the group had set camp under, it was obvious that none of them were around. Pots lay abandoned on the floor and on chairs as if they'd been forgotten about. Penny's brow furrowed in confusion as she walked past the open tents; no one was inside them either. Trying not to get too ahead of herself, like she usually did, she refused to jump to conclusions since there was probably a perfectly reasonable explanation for why they would all just abandon their camp.

She had been just about to step onto the stairs, leading onto the porch. Something had caught the corner of her eye- a movement right beside the barn. Penny turned her head, almost instinctively to try and identify it. It could be someone from her family, she reasoned and she could have made herself believe that if it wasn't for the fact that she then focused on exactly what she was seeing. It looked like she'd found the group and from the looks of it, they were fighting over something… she could guess exactly what that thing was.

-8-

"Dad?" Penny called out, almost frantically, as checked the downstairs rooms for her father. "…Dad?"

She entered the back room, where Carl had stayed, but there was no sign of Hershel so she headed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Who knew what the group could have done in the time she'd spent in here but she couldn't have confronted them on her own- mostly because it would take only one of the men to overpower her and then what could she do? She'd have to sit and watch without being able to warn anybody.

Penny knocked on her father's bedroom door and there was a brief pause in which she was about to just turn the handle and go in anyway before she heard a 'come in' from the inside. She wasted no time in practically throwing open the door then and spotted Hershel placing something in a drawer. He turned to look at her, his face taking up an expression of concern when he noticed Penny's own features turned into a frown. The way she was tapping her fingernails against the door frame gave away her worry.

"The barn… they found it," Penny told him, not waiting for him to question her. Much to her surprise though, Hershel didn't seem entirely shocked by the news. He simply looked at his daughter for a moment before turning back to the drawer he had been looking in, turning the key to lock it.

"I wondered how long it would take."

Not at all satisfied with the answer, Penny stepped fully into the room so that she could close the door behind her. She didn't really want the whole house to hear just yet- particularly not Beth.

"Four days. That's how long it took. What are we gonna do? 'Cause you know if we don't, they will." Penny demanded. She could feel her anger rising but fear was constricting her chest. This is what she had been afraid of happening.

Hershel replied calmly, "We're not going to do anything."

"Oh you cannot be serious!" Penny replied, rolling her eyes at the absurdity.

"This is our farm. I imagine Rick will respect that."

"Yes, I'm sure he'll be just thrilled with the fact that his group are camping so close to a barn full of the things he despises."

"Rick is not an irrational man. He'll want to talk this over… try to reach some kind of compromise."

The way her father did not seem concerned about this new development made Penny realise something.

She sighs, "Already thought this through, haven't you?"

Hershel didn't answer; instead he sat down on the edge of his bed and patted the spot next to him as an indication for Penny to sit down too. Somehow she just couldn't justify sitting down to have a chat when there was a clear problem going on.

"I'm gonna go keep an eye on them, make sure-"

"Honey, sit down."

She could have defied him but for some reason Penny just didn't have it in her. Rolling her eyes at her own need to be a dutiful daughter, she walked to take a seat next to her father.

"Do you remember what you used to tell Maggie when she was… acting out?" Hershel asked her, turning slightly to look at Penny properly.

She looked confused for a moment, "To quit being a brat? Not really seeing the point…"

Hershel smiled at her, "Not that. You told her that you knew she was acting that way because she was hurting. You were right."

Penny diverted her gaze down to her knees, knowing what was going to come from this.

"You're trying to protect everyone because you're hurting and that's ok. We've all lost our people, our family but you don't need to take responsibility for everything… that's what I'm here for," Hershel reached out his arm to wrap it around his daughter's shoulders, pulling her into him slightly. Sometimes he knew she just needed comforting. "Stop worrying so much."

Penny accepted her father's embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. Despite his comfort and reassurances, she still couldn't help but feel like she was intentionally putting the responsibility on herself for a reason and there wasn't anything that would make her stop doing so.

-8-

After reassuring Hershel that she wasn't going to interfere just yet, Penny had tried to stay busy. She kept finding herself new tasks to do but somehow her eyes kept drifting back to the barn where Shane had set himself up as Watchman. She liked Shane for the same reason she liked Lori- there were parts of them that were familiar to her, things she could see in herself. That was also the reason she felt it was necessary to position herself on the porch, with a full view of the barn.

Penny knew that she was headstrong, sometimes she acted before she thought about it and that was one thing she had in common with Shane. She'd seen the way he acted sometimes, especially with Carl, he wanted to protect what mattered to him and he would do that at any cost; that was the other trait they shared. But this time it wasn't just about his family, it was about hers too. Penny wasn't sure what would happen if they ever argued over something like this- Shane could easily take her physically but she wasn't intimidated by him so there wasn't really a straight answer for if it ever came down to a verbal match. Pitting two headstrong, protective people against each other was never going to be simple.

She could just about make out his movements, enough for her to be able to watch what he was doing; unless he walked around the other side of the barn, which he had done a few times. He walked up to the main doors, looking as if he was pressing against them for a minute. His stance coupled with how jumpy he seemed to be made Penny slightly more nervous. Rick may tolerate the situation, simply because he wanted to stay but Shane? Penny could count the ties he had to this place on one hand. He wouldn't care if it was Hershel's land as long as his people were safe, which in his view they weren't.

Rick was a different matter though. She'd heard him speaking to her father, begging him not to make them leave. Hershel was unwavering though, he wanted them gone for reasons Penny didn't quite understand anymore. They now knew about the barn which was her biggest issue with them staying, beside the fact that they were complete strangers, but her father seemed to want them gone simply because he didn't want them to stay. She knew it was probably more than that- he didn't want to be responsible for them too.

Rick had also wanted to _compromise_ on the barn. That wasn't about to happen and it would probably be a deal breaker if they ever entered into negotiations about it. You stay- you accept the barn and leave it be, if not- leave. The barn had to be protected which was why she was still sat where she was; once again taking it upon herself to ensure nothing happened. She wasn't sure if she was protecting the barn because of the 'people' inside though or to protect the people outside. There was no doubt in her mind that the family and friends inside that barn were dead- how could they not be? She had seen the flesh decomposing; she had smelt the stench of rot and decay. But still, members of her own family were in there and whether they were dead or not, she still loved them. They weren't hurting anyone so why should they have to be put down permanently? If they were, all hope would be shattered in her living family members eyes too. They would lose them all over again.

Footsteps sounded on the porch, Penny turned to see Jimmy running into the house. She looked at him, confused but he didn't spare her a glance as he rushed inside. She followed in behind him to find Hershel and Maggie standing in the kitchen.

"It happened again," Jimmy stated.

Hershel looked from Jimmy to Penny before standing.

"How many?" Hershel questioned.

"Two," was Jimmy's reply.

Penny hated this. Pulling infected people out of river beds was not fun. She'd gone with Otis once- just the once because she could never do it again. That time there was only one so it was a relatively easy task for Otis who had become a master at it but it wasn't something she cared to see repeated.

"Are you going alone?" Penny asked her father, frowning in concern.

"Jimmy'll come," the boy in question nodded. "And maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to take Rick up on his offer for help."

Penny raised her eyebrows, she couldn't decide if it was a stupid move.

"You're gonna take Rick?" Maggie asked, shaking her head. She obviously didn't know what to think either.

"Well he wants to stay, I think it's only right he sees how we deal with things here."

-8-

With both Hershel and Rick gone, Penny became even more paranoid about the barn. It would be down to her alone to intervene if something happened while they were away. Rick could control his group when he was there but when he was gone it was another matter.

She'd taken back up the spot on the porch. Andrea had relieved Shane from his duties and she was now doing the same checks he had done. Andrea was a different kind of person. The times Penny had seen her, she always seemed up for the action and she was top of the class at gun training. She was practically the polar opposite of the other women in the group- Lori and Carol seemed to do the washing, cooking and other typically 'housewife' things. Andrea had an almost arrogant quality. One that claimed she could take on the world. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing… just different.

Glenn had taken over watch on the RV again. He kept glancing in Penny's direction but when she would meet his gaze, he quickly diverted his eyes. He was probably scared she was going to flip on his again like she did the first time. She couldn't say she regretted that, it was just a heat of the moment thing. She had been furious and terrified- not a good combination for someone who tends to get worked up easily. This time though she wasn't going to go crazy but she did want to talk to him. She looked in the direction of the barn again. Andrea was leaning against the old tractor that was parked outside, in pretty much the same position Shane had been a while before. Andrea probably wouldn't start anything- she seemed to be more of a following orders type of girl rather than the instigator. If there was a time when Penny felt ok with diverting her attention slightly, it would be now.

Glenn began to fidget more as he watched Penny get closer. The hands holding onto his gun began to clench nervously.

"What're you wearing?" Penny asked him as she stopped just under him. She was smiling at him which just confused Glenn. His hand immediately flew up to touch the hat Dale had given him.

"It's erm… It's Dale's." He replied.

"Yeah I see that. Happened to yours?" She lifted her own hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Erm… there was an- an accident." Glenn told her. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to tell Penny that it was Maggie who had ruined his cap, although the knowing look on her face was enough to make him think she already had her suspicions.

"Right… listen I wanted to talk to you about-"

"This is about the barn right?" Glenn interrupted. "Look, I'm sorry but I had to say something. I just couldn't-"

"Hey, stop." Penny called up to him, halting his ramblings. "You did what you had to. I get it… I don't like it but I understand. That wasn't what I wanted to say though."

Glenn's face went from confused to relieved to nervous again in a split second. Honestly, Penny was amused by the whole thing. She was pretty sure he wasn't much younger than her and Penny didn't have Maggie's height so she was shorter than Glenn too; it was rather funny how intimidated he seemed.

"I wanted to thank you," she began. "For Maggie… saving her life yesterday."

"Oh… that." He was shocked to say the least. Glenn had expected Penny to come and pull him down off the RV and feed him to the barn of walkers. He had not expected a thank you. Then again, Maggie had told him family always came first for Penny… he guessed that probably meant living ones rather than walker ones.

"Yeah, that." Penny laughed. "I think that makes us pretty even… you saving her but spilling about the barn. Just try not to mess up next time yeah?"

Glenn laughed slightly and nodded… she was teasing him. Maybe there was hope after all.

Heavy steps sounded to Penny's right and she glanced that way to see Shane storming into the RV. He didn't so much as glance at her which was a little odd. She looked back up at Glenn as she heard Shane begin to rifle through everything- she could just about see what he was doing through the net covered window. He eventually came back out and seemed to just notice Penny was there.

"You ok?" she asked him seeing how flustered he seemed. Having him agitated would not be good for anyone.

Shane didn't respond, instead turning straight to Glenn. "See where he went?"

"Who?" Glenn asked.

"Don't even try to shit me ok?"

Glenn looked down at Penny, completely confused.

"What-"

"Dale, Glenn. Did you see where Dale went?"

Penny couldn't help but hope Dale had gone far… she wouldn't want to meet Shane if he was this pissed off for whatever reason.

"He asked me to get him some water… said he'd cover me on watch," Glenn told him.

"And he was gone when you got back, huh?" Shane stated, turning to face away from the RV, clearly fuming.

"Yeah… you think he's ok?"

"Oh he's fine."

"Why'd he bail then?"

"…So you wouldn't tell me which way he went."

Glenn just became even more confused with each answer from Shane. "I don't get it."

"Nah man… you don't," Shane stated before storming off in what seemed like a random direction.

Penny watched him walk for a moment before turning back to Glenn.

"Is he always like that?"

"Erm… lately? Yes." Glenn told her. "Penny? Can I ask you something?"

She looked at him curiously, "sure."

"Maggie… does she hate me now?"

Penny grinned, "There a reason you couldn't ask her that? I don't think she hates you… she's just mad you didn't listen to her."

"So, what do I do?" Glenn asked, a little uncomfortable with asking Maggie's sister for advice but he figured if anyone knew Maggie, it would be her.

"Talk to her." Penny said simply before smiling up at him once and turning back to the porch.

-8-

It started with just Penny sitting in her spot. Then Beth had joined her, eager to know what was going on. Carl had come over then, apparently stuck on a maths problem he was doing and asked for their help. Lori had wandered over to see where Carl had gotten to. After that it was like a meeting on the porch. Everyone, the Greene's and the group members were just hanging out together and Penny couldn't deny that it was kind of a relief.

Glenn had apparently talked it out with Maggie and they were sitting happily, side by side. Penny was supposedly helping Carl but she wasn't really needed since Patricia and Beth were there too. She looked around as T-Dog and Andrea came over, asking what had happened to Rick… apparently they were supposed to look for Sophia hours ago. The fact that the little girl was still missing five days later didn't look so good. Daryl and Carol chose that moment to return too and Daryl was not happy that no one was looking for Sophia.

"Dammit, isn't anyone taking this seriously? We got us a damn trail… ah here we go." He said, gesturing to Shane's return.

The group fell silent as each person spotted what Shane was carrying on his back- a full bag of guns. This was what Penny knew would happen when Rick left. Shane would take matters into his own hands. She stepped off the porch and stood slightly in front of Maggie and Glenn. With her father still dealing with the people in the river, it looked like she was in charge.

"What's all this?" Daryl asked the question on everyone's minds.

"You with me man?" Shane asked him, holding out a gun for Daryl to take.

"Yeah," he took the offered weapon.

"Time to grow up. You got yours?" Shane asked Andrea.

"Yeah, where's Rick?" She asked in return.

"He's on his way."

Shane was beginning to pick up a following as he walked towards the rest of the people gathered. Daryl, Andrea and T-Dog were cautiously following his lead.

"Thought we couldn't carry?" T-Dog questioned.

"We can and we have to," Shane answered. "Now look it was one thing sitting around here, picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe but now we know it ain't… How about you man, you gonna protect yours?"

Glenn nervously glanced at Maggie before taking the gun. Penny had had enough.

"What do you think you're doing?" She called out to him. The familiar heat of her anger was starting up.

"Can you shoot?" was Shane's reply but he held a gun out to Maggie. Now Penny was furious.

"Hey," she walked forward to push the gun down and stepped in front of Maggie. "You don't get to come over here and just start handing out guns. You keep those, you leave tonight."

Shane looked down at her, an almost disbelieving smirk forming, before he simply turned away from her.

"We have to stay Shane," Carl called out.

"What is this?" Lori questioned in confusion.

"We ain't going anywhere," Shane replied to Carl but directed it straight at Penny. "Now look Hershel, he's just gonna have to understand ok… well he's gonna have to. Now we need to find Sophia, am I right?"

He knelt down in front of Carl, holding out a small gun to the twelve-year-old.

"I want you to take this. You take it Carl and you keep your mother safe, you do whatever it takes. You know how to do it. Go on, take the gun and do it."

Lori pushed Carl behind her, clearly furious. "Rick said no guns. This is not your call; this is not your decision to make."

It wasn't any of their decisions. The person whose decision it was, was currently occupied somewhere else, well Penny thought he was until T-Dog attracted everyone's attention to Jimmy emerging from the woods followed by two walkers attached to poles- Rick and Hershel holding one each.

"What is that?" Shane asked before he took off, sprinting towards the other men. The others soon followed.

A string of curses and people calling for Shane to wait was heard mixed in with the sound of heavy footfalls against the dirt, Jimmy calling out to keep the walkers' attention and the groans and snarls rippling from the mouths of the things themselves.

"What the hell you doing?" Shane yelled as he reached the other side of the fence.

"Shane just back off!" Rick shouted back, too busy trying to hold onto the rather large walker.

"Why do your people have guns?" Hershel questioned, again too busy controlling the female walker he had.

"Are you kidding me?" Shane yelled again. "You see? You see what their holding on to?"

"I see _who_ I'm holding on to!" Hershel retorted, turning slightly to keep Shane in his sights while not allowing the walker to take control.

"Naw man you don't."

"Shane just let us do this!" Rick called out, attempting to regain some form of order whilst Shane carried on circling around them. "Then we can talk."

"What d'you wanna talk about Rick? These things aren't sick. They're not people. They're dead!" Shane yelled out to the whole group as people began to line up behind him. "Ain't gonna feel nothing 'cause all they do, they kill. These things right here! These are the things that killed Amy… they killed Otis. And they gonna kill all of us if we don't stop it…"

"Shane, stop!"

"Hey Hershel, man lemme ask you something. A living breathing person, do they walk away from this…"

Shane drew his gun. He fired. Three shots straight into the female walker.

"That's three shots to the chest. Someone who's still alive, could they just take that? Why's it still coming?!"

Two more shots.

"That's its heart. Its lungs! Why is it still coming?!"

Another three shots.

People were yelling for him to stop.

"Shane, that's enough!" Rick shouted over everyone else.

"Yeah, you're right man. That is enough."

He stalked over to the female. One shot straight into its head and it finally stilled, falling to the floor, taking Hershel down with it. Penny ran forward, ignoring Maggie's arm stretching out to try and pull her back. Her fury was too much. She reached her father's side as Shane began to speak again. At the mention of Sophia being dead, she snapped.

"…Enough living next to a barn full of things that are tryna kill us!"

"No," Penny screamed, walking towards Shane- again, she ignored the pleas from Rick and her family to just stay back. "Just stop already!"

"Look it ain't like it was before!"

Shane walked forward to meet her halfway, his hands held up in the surrender position but one still held his gun. Penny shoved the gun away with one hand and pushed on his chest with the other. It was a futile attempt, she wasn't thinking, she just couldn't stand back and watch him on his personal rampage. Shane tried to push her away, instinctively. Not anticipating the move or the force of it, Penny stumbled, falling back into Rick as he reached out to steady her on instinct. The pole slipped from his hands.

The walker, suddenly freed, turned with surprising speed. Its attention was immediately on Rick and Penny. The snarls coming from its mouth increased as it reached rotting fingers out to try and catch them. Penny tried to scramble back, out of the reach of the clawing hands that were approaching her but Rick was directly behind her. The pole swung wildly as the large walker attempted to move with it still attached. They had seconds before it would be upon them. Rick threw one arm around Penny to pull her out of the way while the other reached for his gun but before he could even touch the weapon, a gunshot fired from the other side and blood sprayed out of an exit wound as the walker fell to the ground.

The pair looked to the left to see Daryl lowering his gun slightly.

The unintended distraction had played to Shane's advantage though. While everyone was busy dealing with the one walker, he had turned back to the barn and began to pry open the doors. He had already pulled off the wooden beam and went to pick up a pick-axe to break apart the padlock.

People began to scream and shout at him to stop but he was too determined to notice. Rick removed his arm from Penny and began to run towards Shane in an attempt to make him stop when Shane finally broke through the metal- Rick hadn't even gotten close to him.

Everyone stepped back. The only thing between them and more than a dozen hungry walkers was a simple metal chain. It wouldn't take long to break. Shane was at the front, Rick slightly behind him, he pulled up his gone to wait for the walkers to emerge. And they did.

The scene turned into a massacre. The group members with guns began to line up as if they were at target practise. Shane fired the first shot, straight into the head of the lead walker, taking it down instantly. This seemed to be the sign of permission everyone else was waiting for.

Shot after shot was fired. Blood splatter covered the ground in every direction as one by one, the walkers were taken down.

Hershel was on the ground, kneeling before it all. His eyes were wide, his mouth open slightly in a state of shock. These were his friends, his _family_ he was watching die right in front of him.

Maggie was standing behind Hershel, tears streaming down her face. The scene was too unbelievable and horrific to even witness. Glenn looked to her, asking permission to join in. She nodded.

Beth whimpered and turned her face into Jimmy's chest as she saw the remains of her mother exit the barn only to be shot down in a rain of bullets.

They all recognised these people even in their decomposed states.

Penny stared unseeingly at the whole thing. The only thing she registered was Carter, or what was left of him, limping in her general direction. She stared at his once handsome face, now decayed and foul. His once dark eyes too grey and glassy to be recognised. The wound on his forearm that was the cause of his condition was black and rotten skin hung from his arm.

She didn't see who fired the shot that caused him to crumble onto the ground. Half of his face was showered around him.

Eventually the bodies stopped coming. There were no more horrifying groans or snapping teeth. A silence fell upon them as each person dealt with what they had just witnessed. The dead lay in piles upon the ground, covered in blood and gore. Guns were lowered and people just looked around.

Until the growls were heard. One final walker was left in the barn.

She emerged into the sunlight and curled in on herself slightly as if protecting her eyes. Her clothes were torn and filthy. Her hair was matted with grease and dirt. Her eyes were white and glazed over. Skin covered in filth and grime. But it was the hideous wound on her left shoulder that seemed to be the focus. A patch of skin and flesh had been ripped away… eaten. Blood had trickled down and dried and infection must have set in- the surrounding area was speckled with red dots.

They'd finally found Sophia.

The small girl began to walk towards the group- the growls still emanating from her. There was a collective intake of breath as people finally seemed to recognise her.

Carol was standing at the very back but she reacted first. That was her baby girl. She ran forward, reaching out to her daughter, crying for her but Daryl grabbed her around the waist and the pair fell to their knees. Carol still reached out a hand for Sophia.

Sophia moved forward slowly, stepping over the bodies of the other dead.

"Don't watch." Lori said to her son as it became clear what was about to happen.

Rick closed his eyes, knowing he would be the one to do it. His expression was stern as he clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes, walking towards the undead child. He pulled his gun from its holster and lined up the shot.

Sophia didn't stop and when she was directly in front of him, Rick pulled the trigger. The body of the lost little girl crumbled to the ground.

* * *

**First thing: NEW EPISODE! I can't even begin to describe my feelings during that. Beyond amazing.**

**Anyway, Barn Scene! Can't tell you how good it was the write the second half of this… the first half was a little long but hey, it happens in the episode so we have to do this stuff. **

**This bit is ****IMPORTANT**** if you wish for the next chapter to come out. I have the next one planned out in 2 ways and I figure I will let you help me decide where to go. As we all know, up next is when Rick and Glenn go to get Hershel from the bar, pick up Randall etc. SO 2 different scenarios- **

**A. Penny stays at the farm, helps with Beth and then we have a little Daryl/Penny interaction**

**B. Penny goes with them (overdone, maybe) but we would get to see how she reacts to situations like that… will she be a typical woman from the show or not? Then when she gets back we have Daryl/Penny interaction.**

**Your choice… Amy's choice. (Sorry had to slip the little DW quote in) drop me a review or pm me with your preference.**

**About the whole 'Daryl shoots Rick's walker before it can eat Penny' in my original little bit, he will not be saving her all the time. I'm really not into that BUT in the ep he was the closest to Rick with his gun ready so.**

**Thanks for reading (over 2000 hits YEY)/favs/alerts. Love ya.**

**Leg64: thank you! I'm so bad, I actually wasn't even aware that she had depth… honestly never knew what it meant before this but apparently it's a good thing so thanks!**

**Leyshla Gisel: I cheated and watched it on Monday so I was only a few hours behind. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Emberka-2012: yeah I've said before, and Rick says it in this episode actually, the Greene's are sheltered and kind of naïve about it all. Penny has seen parts of it but not as much as the group so yeah she wanted to leave for a little bit… not so sure about now though.**

**Padme4000: hope it lived up to expectations! I know I didn't go into reactions and things here but I will next time. This was more about the shock of it all… When I read about doing it in someone else's view, not going to lie, I panicked a little and yeah I didn't really do that either. Thank you thank you thank you!**

**Lucy: Okay so I told you Daryl/Penny interaction didn't I? Sorry… it was planned out that way but then it just didn't happen. I swear though, either next chapter or the one after depending on what scenario people would prefer. Thanks you for reviewing again!**

**DON'T FORGET TO LET ME KNOW WHICH VERSION YOU'D LIKE BETTER! Thank you.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – _don't know, don't know if I can do this on my own._

The sound of the final gunshot echoed around them. It filled their ears, as their eyes refused to move away from the small body lain out in front of them. For a moment after there was only silence- no one moved… no one seemed to remember how. It was the broken sobs of a mother that pulled them back to now- a mother who had lost her only daughter. Her twelve-year-old daughter shot right in front of her eyes.

Penny was still rooted in place, a mere two feet from the first walker they'd put down that day. Briefly she acknowledged the fact that it was the first time she had consciously chosen to call one of them a walker. Guess it always takes a major event to finally put things into perspective.

"Don't look," Daryl's rough voice broke through her shell.

Penny turned her head slightly to see him attempting to pick Carol up off the floor and turn the devastated woman away from the bloody sight of her daughter, but Carol pushed him away. She turned in his hold to throw her hands out, making Daryl release her, before running off in the direction of their camp- her cries were still prominent.

It wasn't only Penny that was brought out of the shock by Carol's cries- it seemed nearly everyone had managed to gain some form of control, some more than others. It wasn't necessarily a good thing. Carol's emotional display seemed to have set off some kind of reaction in Beth whose own cries soon followed. There wasn't one person at the scene who was unaffected by the devastation of a mother and now a young girl. They thought they were right to do this- a walker was a walker right? They seemed to have neglected the fact that they were once people; people with a family, loved ones. Now they could see so clearly.

Penny watched as Beth walked forward, passing her, to try and reach her mother. The familiar sting of oncoming tears pressed at Penny's eyes as she watched her baby sister stagger into the mass of bodies, pushing away Rick's hands as he tried to hold her back.

Beth looked around until she spotted Annette, at which point her cries increased as she moved the body of another man who had fallen on top. She fell to her knees and reached out a hand to roll her dead mother onto her back.

"Mom," she sobbed.

A sickening snarl and two arms reached up clawed hands. Beth screamed as her own mother grabbed onto her hair to try and pull her close enough to sink infected teeth into flesh.

Penny was running forward before she had even had time to process what was happening. She reached Beth just after Rick, Shane and Glenn did too. Shane and Rick had hold of Beth, trying to pull her out of the grip whilst Glenn took hold of Annette's arms. They managed to lift Beth up out of danger and Penny immediately snatched her from the men's arms, pulling her back with her arms around the younger girl shoulders. Beth was still screaming.

Hershel stepped in front of Beth, taking hold of her arms and speaking to her in hushed, soothing tones in an attempt to calm her. Penny noticed the way he purposefully placed himself in Beth's line of sight even as she tried to look around him. She'd watched her mother shot already once today, she didn't need to see it happen again.

The grunts of men were heard followed by the nauseating sound of something heavy connecting with soft flesh and bone. Another sound, metal swinging through the air and flesh being torn into- the growls finally stopped.

Penny released Beth into their father's arms and she stepped around them to look at the remains of the woman she used to call her step-mother. The metal spike of a pick-axe was protruding through the forehead and the features were twisted into a terrifying mask; eyes wide and mouth open. Penny turned away from the distorted face and walked behind her family as they made their way back up to the house. Of course, Shane just wasn't about to let them walk away.

"We've been out, we've been combing these woods looking for her and she was in there all along? You knew."

"Oh just back off Shane." Penny threw back, not bothering to turn around. She was tired, really tired and Shane just didn't know when to drop it. He was the one who started this whole thing and he dared to turn this on her family? She wasn't standing for that.

"Shane, just stop man…" Glenn said from Penny's side.

Rick attempted to pull his friend back but Shane pulled away.

"You knew and you kept it from us." He said.

"I didn't know," Hershel replied.

"That's bullshit. I think you all knew."

"We didn't know!" Maggie exclaimed.

"Why was she there?" Shane questioned, sounding angrier after every word which only succeeding in increasing Penny's own anger.

They finally reached the house and Hershel turned around to face Shane after sending Beth up the steps. Patricia took Beth into the house but Maggie and Penny refused to leave. Penny dropped down a couple of steps so that she was just behind her father.

"Otis put those people in the barn. Maybe he found her and put her in there before he was killed." Hershel tried to explain but Shane still wasn't taking it.

"You expect me to believe that? Do I look like an idiot to you?" He took a step forward and Rick, obviously sensing the danger, put an arm across his chest in an attempt to hold him back. Penny too stepped forward, attempting to get in front of Hershel to tell Shane exactly what he looked like but her father shot out a hand to grab her arm, holding her back.

"I don't care what you believe," Hershel exclaimed.

At the same time Penny shouted "Well you're sure acting like a damn idiot right now!"

Rick, always the peacekeeper, planted himself between the two parties, holding his arms out to try and stop the argument from turning into something else.

"Everybody just calm down, please," he tried.

"Get him off my land!" Hershel shouted back.

"Let me tell you something man-" Shane said as he took a threatening step forward. This time Penny did manage to step in front of her father and she pushed Shane back, much the same way she had earlier but this time with a slightly clearer head and more force. Shane rocked slightly but didn't move back.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Penny all but screamed at him. She was physically shaking from the amount of anger coursing through her. "You stay away from my family or God help me you'll be wishing Otis hadn't sacrificed himself for your worthless ass."

Shane shot her that same disbelieving smirk and was about to retort when Glenn and Rick managed to pull him back. Penny felt a hand wrap around her forearm. She kept her eyes on Shane, who held the contact for a second and then looked away, before allowing Maggie to lead her back into the house.

"I mean it. Off my land." Hershel pointed to Shane before following his daughters inside.

-8-

Penny knocked on the door to Beth's room. Even with the fact that they'd all lost their family today, Beth had been through more than anyone and she had locked herself in her room almost as soon as Patricia had led her into the house. Penny couldn't even begin to imagine how traumatizing it would be to think you're watching your mother die but then having them come back to life only to try and kill you.

She knocked again but still, there was no answer.

"Beth? It's Penny…" She spoke through the door.

The sound of the bed creaking slightly travelled through the wood and a small click indicated the lock had been opened. Penny turned the handle and stepped through just as Beth seated herself back on her bed. Penny's heart dropped at the sight of her younger sister- she'd always hated to see her cry and this was a lot worse. Beth's eyes were red and puffy from the tears which had dried into stains on her cheeks. She looked so broken.

"Hey," Penny whispered as she sat next to her younger sister. Beth didn't respond, instead she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Penny didn't miss the tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes. She sighed as she placed a hand on the back of Beth's head, smoothing her hair.

"She's been dead a long time hasn't she?" Beth whispered, her blue eyes trained on Penny's face. Penny's mouth opened as if to answer but she couldn't form the words. This was what she had been trying to protect Beth from since the beginning. Tears began to cloud her vision. Penny moved her hand to Beth's shoulders to pull the younger girl into her side, tucking Beth's head under her chin.

"I'm sorry sweetie."

The sisters sat in their embrace for a while, each absorbed in their own emotions. Their tears continued to fall heavily down their cheeks and Penny's fingers kept running through Beth's hair, a comfort for them both.

"Do you miss him?" Beth spoke softly. Penny momentarily confused by the sudden question.

"Miss who?" she replied.

"Carter."

Penny frowned. She didn't really know how to speak about him- she barely even thought about him anymore.

"Sometimes," she told Beth.

"Do you miss your Mom?" Beth questioned again, her voice breaking slightly at the end.

Fresh tears fell. "All the time."

"What was she like?"

Penny took a deep breath under the onslaught of memories that came with the thought of her own mother. Annette had been an incredible substitute and she had loved her step-mother dearly but she could never replace her Mom.

"She was erm…" She took another deep breath. "She was beautiful. And kind, generous, funny. She was perfect."

Beth closed her eyes with a small, sad smile. "She sounds nice."

"She was," Penny said with a soft smile of her own. "Just like your Mom."

Beth nodded, taking a shuddering breath that caused Penny to hold the younger girl tighter.

"I try to remember her when she was nice Penny, but then I see her in the barn and the other stuff just… disappears."

"Hey, listen to me," Penny said, her heart breaking for her sister. "Your Mom was one of the most amazing people I've ever met and she loved you so much Beth. The person in the barn… that wasn't your Mom. You have to remember that ok?"

"What if I can't? What if I just keep seeing her try to kill me?"

"You've just got to keep thinking of all those good things and you will remember."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Beth turned to bury her face in the side of Penny's neck, her tears soaking through the material of Penny's shirt. Even as she had spoken the words, Penny didn't feel the conviction in them. She had no doubt that Beth would remember every single horrifying detail and sometimes, the good things are clouded by the bad.

-8-

Four dirt-filled graves were lain out in front of them. No one was speaking, not one person spoke out about their buried loved ones. It wasn't the right time for a funeral. Funerals were a time to grieve, to say goodbye but no one was ready for that yet. It had been a mere two hours since the scene at the barn- not nearly enough time to prepare and accept it.

It felt selfish really. They'd buried the bodies because they had to- they had no way of conserving them until the funeral could be arranged properly, until people felt ready. They hadn't even moved the other bodies yet.

The Greene family stood in a line across three of the four graves. They were the ones who had lost the most that day. Rick's group were slightly more scattered but they mostly concentrated around Sophia's grave. The lost little girl they'd hoped they would find. Well, now they had. Carol hadn't shown up.

They stood for a little while longer, just looking into the dark ground that covered the bodies of those they had once held so close.

-8-

The kitchen was quiet as Penny and Beth cleaned up the pots and work surfaces. Penny had insisted on it- keep busy and try not to think about it. Maggie and Glenn were stood just inside the dining area.

"So if your group leaves you wouldn't stay?" Maggie asked him.

"I- I hadn't really thought about it, I mean I… I didn't know that you… Do you think this is really the time to discuss this thing?" Glenn stuttered in reply.

"Well I'm not really feeling like there's a lot of time for anything," Maggie replied.

"No, no there is. There is… I mean, I don't- I want to but-"

A large crash of pots falling to the floor and Penny spun around to see Beth collapsed onto the tiles. She rushed to her sister's side and kneeling, she lifted up Beth's head to rest it in her lap. Maggie reached them as Penny checked Beth's pulse in her neck which she was relieved to find still there.

"Beth? Beth, can you hear me? Come on, sweetie." She whispered, placing a hand on the frozen girl's cheek and tapping it slightly to try and gain some sort of response but she didn't get one. Beth remained motionless on the floor, her eyes open wide but unseeing.

"Oh my god, what's wrong with her?" Maggie asked, her hands flitted above her younger sister as if she was afraid to touch her.

"I don't know maybe some kind of shock, I don't know." Penny replied, still trying to gain response from Beth. She was way out of her knowledge area with this.

"Well what do we do? Can we move her, I-"

"I don't know Maggie! Just get Dad, Patricia… anyone!" Penny shouted but Maggie was still transfixed on Beth and so Penny turned to Glenn, hoping for a better response. "Glenn!"

He nodded once, eyes flitting back to Beth for a second before he left the room.

"Ok, Maggie?" Penny reached a hand and gripped Maggie's arm. Maggie's eyes snapped up to hers. "We need to get her upstairs."

Between the two of them, they managed to carry Beth up into her room just as Glenn came back and informed them Hershel was nowhere to be found. He'd told Lori about it though and she was coming to help which was better than nothing.

Maggie and Penny sat on either side of Beth as she laid still, eyes open and just staring at the ceiling. Penny had taken to just gripping her hand and checking her pulse was still there even few seconds. She'd tried so many things to try and gain a response but it wasn't working. She just didn't know what to do. Maggie had taken over; repeating the same things Penny had already done as if a different person doing it would help.

"Sweetie can you hear me?" she whispered.

Lori arrived in the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Maggie questioned her too.

"She might be in shock. Where's Hershel?" Lori answered.

"Can't find him anywhere," Glenn spoke.

"Hey kiddo, wake up," Maggie whispered, taking Beth's hand again.

Penny couldn't just sit there any longer. She needed to do something productive- something that would actually help; like finding her father since he was the only one who knew anything about this.

Penny left with Lori but even after informing Rick, who had helped them search the grounds, Hershel was still nowhere to be found. Shane spotted them then. He walked over to see what was going on- Penny threw him the most heated glare she could. It was his fault this was happening. He started the barn shooting and now her father was missing and Beth was lying helpless in her bed.

They ended up re-checking the house before moving into Hershel's room, hoping he had maybe left some sort of clue as to his whereabouts.

"Looks like he found an old friend," Shane said, picking up a metal hip flask and tossing it to Rick. Penny immediately held out her hand and Rick passed it over to her. She didn't want either of them going through her stepmothers things that had been left out on the bed and she certainly didn't want them going through her father's things.

"It was my Grandfather's. He gave it to Dad after he died."

"I didn't take Hershel for a drinker…" Rick replied.

"He's not… well at least not for long time. He gave it up the day I was born." Penny told him. She began to pace the room, hoping to God that Hershel hadn't taken himself off to get drunk. Not when she needed him. Maggie entered the room then, followed by Glenn, and spotted what Penny was holding on to.

"That what I think it is?" she asked, pointing to the flask. Penny didn't reply, instead she just threw the flask to Maggie. "Where did you find this?"

"Over there," Penny motioned to the drawers.

"He doesn't even allow liquor in the house… where would he have gotten it from?" Maggie asked.

"Where's the nearest bar in town?" Rick interrupted.

"Hatlands," Maggie told him.

Penny let out a bitter laugh, "He practically lived there as a drunk."

"Then that's where I'll go," Rick muttered as if he was talking to himself.

"Hey, I've seen the place. I'll take you," Glenn said.

-8-

Rick was loading up his gun as Maggie and Glenn emerged through the screen door. After a goodbye kiss and a few words exchanged, Glenn made his way towards the car, looking as if he was in some sort of daze. Penny came out of the house then, tying her hair up into a ponytail as she walked. She passed by Maggie and began to walk towards Rick.

"I'm coming with you," She called out to him.

"Penny you can't, we need you here!" Maggie shouted out, walking after her sister. Penny ignored her though and kept her focus on Rick.

"I know that place better than either of you. I know every single hide-out and back road… I could get us all there and back with no problem." She said, far too calmly for someone about to run into a town full of the walking dead.

"Unless you run into a bunch of walkers! Penny," Maggie tried again. "You're not thinking! Beth needs you here."

"I'm doing this for Beth!" Penny finally snapped. She turned to face Maggie. "She doesn't need me. She needs Dad."

"Well what about me? I need you."

She sighs. "Maggie…"

"What happens if both you and Dad get stuck there hmm? I can't do this on my own."

"Maggie… I have to go. I have to help them."

"No you don't. Rick and Glenn can do this, Penny. They don't need you as much as we do… Please."

Penny ran a tired hand over her hair. She wanted to go- she felt like she had to go. She was the oldest Greene without Hershel there and so it was her duty to look after things, to look after her family. She hadn't done a great job so far and she wanted to put it right. She would bring back her father, he could help Beth and they could try and get through everything as a family.

"I can't leave him there; I have to get him back."

Rick takes the opportunity to interrupt. He knew Penny would be safer on the farm even if having her knowledge with them would probably make it a little easier. He placed his hand on her shoulder and crouched down so he was level with her eyes.

"Penny, do you trust me?"

She didn't answer. Did she trust him? After everything that had happened recently…

"Yes." She whispered.

Rick nodded, "And Glenn? You trust him right?"

"Yes," she repeated without hesitation.

"Then trust us to get your father back here. Alive. Back to you and your sisters, ok?"

She was still reluctant, shaking her head once more. Rick could see her trying to hold onto her argument so he spoke again, feeling a hint of guilt at what he was about to say.

"Maggie's right. They need you more than we do. It would be a lot safer if we didn't have to look out for you too."

"I can take care of myself," Penny retorted angrily. She wasn't some pathetic little girl that needed looking after.

"I'm sure you can… I saw you at gun training, but it's a whole lot different shooting a moving walker than a tin can."

Penny could see what Rick was doing but still the arguments were valid. She'd never shot at an actual person; even if these were dead ones the point still stood. Sighing in defeat, she nodded.

"We'll bring him back. I promise."

-8-

With nothing else to do but sit and wait for Rick and Glenn to bring back Hershel, it seemed people were flocking to Beth's room like she was some kind of circus show. Everyone came in to look at the sick girl that was nearly killed by her own mother and then abandoned by her father. Penny was starting to get irritated by it. The room was too cramped, there was no space for anyone to breathe let alone Beth. Patricia was there now, monitoring Beth until Hershel arrived but all she could do was try and keep the fever down that had suddenly erupted. Beth's heart was racing too like she was in the middle of a panic attack but one where she couldn't move.

Penny did nothing but stare at the face of her sister whilst everyone chatted in the background. Maggie was beside her, still whispering things to Beth, begging her to wake up. Jimmy was floating around the bed too. She knew Andrea was there somewhere but she didn't look around to see about anyone else- just having five people in the room was enough to make Penny want to leave. The constant chatter was giving her a headache and she couldn't focus her mind on one thing as it was without over hearing everyone else's conversations. Worried thoughts about Beth were first- what was wrong with her, what could they do to help, what happens if Hershel doesn't make it back… then that brought on thoughts of the bar and how she wished she would have gone rather than being sat around doing nothing, just sitting and watching as Beth's condition deteriorated.

Lori's voice was added to the endless flow of the others and then when that stopped, Dale came in too and it just became too much. Penny stood up suddenly and the wooden chair she had occupied flew back against the wall, startling the people in the room. She didn't care as she stormed out of the room, pushing past Jimmy and Dale as she went. She needed air, some space to think and time to cool down. Too much had happened in one day- again.

Penny left the house and let her feet take her somewhere else; she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and just kept walking. The dirt beneath her feet morphed into grass but still it didn't register with Penny- she was inside her own mind, emotions clouding everything else, enough that she didn't realise how far out she'd walked until the trees that lined the bottom of the outer fields became very visible. She stopped when her feet hit dirt again and a quick look down showed she had come across a dirt patch in the middle of a field. Penny spun around and it was only then that she realised how far out she actually was- the house was just about visible from where she stood. She should not be out there alone with no way to defend herself. Hadn't she once called her father out on doing the exact same thing?

"The hell d'ya think ya doin'?"

Penny jumped; spinning around to find Daryl stood about ten feet away from her. She placed a hand to her racing heart as she tried to calm her breathing.

"Like sneaking up on people?" She shot back at him, repeating his words from their first conversation. That time in the stables seemed like it was weeks, maybe months ago but definitely not days. Even then, it was kind of amusing to think that three days ago the only thing she was worried about was the group being at the farm and Daryl telling her Dad on her. It sounded so childish next to what was going on now.

"Jus' get the hell outta here," Daryl waved a dismissive arm at her as he turned back to the stone wall that Penny only now realised was there. They used to have races down to that same wall when her and her siblings were children…

"I've got more of a right to be out here than you do. My farm, remember?" Penny began, her emotions were building up and Daryl seemed determined to be an ass. "Then again the rest of your group think they own this place, why would you be any different?"

"You just out here to bitch? I ain't fuckin' interested." Daryl had just wanted to get away from them all- the selfishness, the insanity that seemed to always be present now. He'd told Lori where to go; Penny could head in the same direction.

"I don't have to justify myself to you!" Truthfully, she didn't even know why she was having this conversation with him but that tended to always be her thoughts when she spoke to Daryl. "I live here; I can go wherever the fuck I want."

Daryl just narrowed his eyes at her and walked to sit on the rock he was using as a chair. Let the bitch stay there, it wasn't like he had to pay attention to her. But Penny had other plans. Her feelings had morphed into that familiar, burning anger that she so often felt now and she needed to take it out on someone… Daryl was already there.

"But what about you, huh?" She shouted, walking towards him. "Running away when things get hard. But you didn't even do that did you? You moved your shit further away but it's not like you left! What is it, too afraid to be on your own Daryl?"

He threw down the arrow that he had been trying to carve and stood up again.

"You don' know the fuckin' half of it! I risk my life for those people, for that little girl and look what happened! You and your fuckin' family had 'er locked up in a barn the whole damn time!"

"I didn't know she was in there." Penny retorted.

"Just like ya didn' know the horse I rode out on was a fuckin' wreck! You're a selfish bitch." Daryl threw at her, venomously.

"Wait _I'm _the selfish one? You people come onto _our_ land, eat _our_ food and repay us by what, shooting half of our family? You all walk around today acting like we were the ones that killed Sophia but that was on you."

Daryl's expression turned furious at her statement but Penny wasn't finished yet.

"You lost one little girl today- a girl that was lost in the first place because it was impossible for nine people who call themselves adults to look after her properly! My step-mother, my step-brother, my _fiancé_were all in that barn and you shot them dead right in front of us yet you walk around with the nerve to look at us like we were in the wrong."

"They were dead a long time 'fore we got here!"

They stood glaring at each other for a moment, both chests heaving from the yelling. They'd both run out of fire now, Penny's speech had taken everything out of her and she was left feeling exhausted and sick. She released a breathless, bitter laugh that confused Daryl.

"Yeah… yeah, you know maybe they were. Maybe I've known that all along but they were still my family. My sister still watched her mother get shot, my Dad watched his wife, his son, his friends all go down. That still sound fair to you?"

"No one ever tell you? Life ain't fair, princess."

Daryl's comment wasn't malicious or harsh, it was like he was telling her the time but with a little more sarcasm. It actually caused Penny to smile slightly despite everything.

"Don't call me that," she added, if only to hide the fact that she wasn't mad at him anymore. Then she reasoned with herself, she never really had been in the first place. She was angry- he was angry. What better way than to take it out on each other?

"You really gonna stay out here?" Penny asked after a moment of silence in which they'd both calmed down considerably. Daryl nodded in response. "You aren't afraid of any walkers coming while you sleep?"

"Ain't afraid of no walkers. Better company than them up there anyway," Daryl replied, once again sitting down on his rock and picking up his arrow. He didn't acknowledge that he suddenly didn't care about Penny being there while Penny herself looked in curiosity at what he was doing with the knife and wood in his hand.

"You make your own arrows?" she asked, stepping closer in fascination. Daryl looked up briefly and his eyes narrowed again.

"Ain't like I can go to a store to get some already done," He answered.

Penny nodded, "You always done that?"

It was just like that another of those surreal moments occurred- Penny had an actual conversation with Daryl Dixon where neither of them raised their voices or shot accusations at the other. It was… nice.

**So as you can see, the votes went in favour of situation A and therefore, Penny stayed at the farm. I was so amazed by the responses I got though with people telling me the reasoning behind their choices- they were all great and I'm so happy people seem to understand Penny as much as I do. I do have something planned very soon that could make everyone happy, especially the B voters!**

**The Daryl/Penny I hope everyone likes. If it seems like they just suddenly gave up their argument- they kinda did but neither of them really have anyone else who can take them on in an argument so it was a little bit of a shock and because of that, they both wore the other out. I'm using the slight argument with Rick and Daryl when they're in Atlanta looking for Merle as a reference here- Rick stood up to Daryl, Daryl backed down. I know he doesn't back off here but I always find it's a relief when someone else is willing to argue with you- very draining.**

**Thanks, as always, for reading/favouriting/following. **

**Piratejessieswaby: I'm glad it came out as emotional as I meant it to! Thanks for voting!**

**x XRoweenaJAugustineX x****: Yeah that's how I felt and I wrote it into this chapter but Hershel did lose a lot more than they did. He lost his hope as well as his family.**

**Leyshla Gisel: your reasoning was my thoughts on option A. Thank you!**

**Honeyconcha: Your explanation was enough to make me just want to scrap the rest and write that, it was so good. It's crazy how much you got her character down. I promise she will get a chance to prove herself soon enough!**

**StardustIsMagic: I love how I had to force you to pick an option. We all ship DENNY over here but yes you are the number one fangirl. Hoped the Denny scene was good enough for you. I was laughing so much at 'coffin dodger'! That part is in the actual episode so I couldn't ignore it unfortunately. Glad you loved it!**

**Emberka-2012: Thanks for voting and don't worry Penny will definitely see what the outside world looks like very soon.**

**Leg64: No problem and thanks for voting! Hope you liked this one!**

**Padme400: thank you as always! I love writing scenes with the group members, there will be a lot more of that coming up I think. Glenn is a great character and I can see Penny thinking of him as another sibling so I thought it was quite fitting. I'm really glad you enjoyed the chapter that much and I hope the Daryl/Penny was good enough!**

**Lucy: Your idea about Penny going instead of Daryl was so good! I actually hadn't thought about that and I just felt like hitting myself. I know I didn't end up doing it but still, thank you for that! I'm glad you really liked the chapter!**

**The responses were amazing for the last chapter, you're all brilliant.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – _where were you when everything was falling apart?_

"Where have you been?"

Penny looked up to find Maggie waiting on the porch, her arms crossed with an angry expression.

"I went for a walk."

Maggie's expression went from pissed to incredulous. "So Beth's goes into shock, Dad disappears and you just decide to take off? What if something happened here?"

Penny had just passed by her sister to head inside but turned back around to face her again. She had drained all of her emotions during her argument with Daryl and now she just felt tired. The walk there and back had done nothing to stop this.

"Maggie there was six people in that room. At least half of them had a better clue of what to do than I did," she replied calmly, she really could not get into another argument tonight.

"You still shouldn't have left. I was gonna come looking for you, Penny you can't just walk off without telling anyone."

It didn't escape Penny's notice that their roles seemed to be reversed in this conversation- it was usually her who was reprimanding someone for going off without saying anything.

"There were too many people in the room. I needed a minute to myself ok?"

"Fine, take a minute. Not an hour."

"An hour?" Penny repeated. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was that long."

"Where did you even go?" Maggie asked, seeming to have calmed slightly.

"I told you, I walked. Ended up down by that stone wall we used to run to when we were kids… ran into Daryl," Penny muttered, distracted by the thought of how bizarre that conversation was. The argument went just as well as any argument did but once they'd both spat out what they needed to, there was nothing really left to argue about. Penny had no idea why she had asked Daryl about carving the arrows- her eyes had focused on the way his large hands ran the knife over the wood with such precision, she couldn't help the words falling from her lips. Daryl had answered her questions surprisingly enough but she hadn't stayed long once she remembered Beth's current state.

"Daryl? What was he doing out there?"

Penny rolled her eyes at the thought, "He's pissed at the group so he moved his tent away."

Honestly, to her it seemed a little childish and she hadn't hesitated to tell him that before she had left him to which he replied with his infamous scowl and a "min' yer own fuckin' business". It was obvious he cared about the group though, whether he wanted to or not, as despite the words she had thrown at him in her anger, she knew for a fact he could handle this world on his own- he must have some other reason to stay other than a need for protection. He had also gone out of his way to look for Sophia which only confirmed the thought.

After a further warning from Maggie to try not to run off, they'd both returned to Beth's bedside. Her condition hadn't changed and there wasn't anything else Patricia could do for her- it was on Rick and Glenn to bring back Hershel now. They'd taken to making dinner, naturally Patricia had said there was enough for everyone and so the group had joined them too- all including Shane who Penny down right refused to allow in the house but Patricia had already Ok'd it. It led to a rather heated discussion between Penny and Maggie as since they weren't going to throw him out, Penny refused to eat with them. She wasn't being childish and immature like Maggie was suggesting, she was respecting her father's wishes. Plus on her own moral grounds, she couldn't eat with a man who had started this whole thing that led to half her family being shot, Beth breaking down and her father going missing. It was not a pathetic excuse.

Penny had taken her food and gone to sit with Beth; someone should be staying with her anyway and she figured she'd already taken her break. It was quiet in the room now but it was almost too quiet and Penny found herself glancing down to Beth's chest every couple of seconds just to make sure it was still moving. She would hold her own breath every time she failed to see the subtle rise or fall, then release it and return to her meal when she finally caught it again. Around the seventh time this happened though, Penny made the mistake of looking up at her sister's face and staring into her blank eyes. Her appetite suddenly disappearing, she placed her unfinished food on the floor and took Beth's hand in hers.

Penny had felt an overwhelming sense of guilt when she looked at Beth. This wasn't her fault, and she knew that, but she still felt as if this was something she had known was going to happen- she had promised herself that she would look out for Beth and make sure she didn't suffer through the loss of her mother. But that was exactly what was happening.

"Hey, can you hear me in there?" Beth remained still, Penny clutched her hand tighter. "…I'm sorry, Bethy. I promised to protect you, protect you from this. Lot of good that did, huh? Couldn't even stop one guy…"

She dropped her head to rest on her hand, leaning her elbow on the bed.

"I need you to come back Beth… come back to us."

Removing her hand from Beth's after once again there was no response, Penny reached up to push a lock of hair behind Beth's ear; a movement Beth herself would have done if she could have.

"Penny?"

Startled, her head snapped in the direction of the doorway- it was Andrea that called her.

"Sorry… have you seen Lori?" the older woman asked.

"Erm, not since this afternoon," Penny answered. "Is she missing?"

Andrea nodded, "No one's seen her for hours."

"I'll help you look," Penny said as she stood up and moved towards Andrea. The blonde glanced at Beth, her eyes lingering.

"Sure you wanna leave her?"

"She'll be fine."

-8-

Shane had taken off in a car after they'd searched every place they could think of to find Lori only for Carol to inform them that Lori had asked Daryl to go looking for Rick and Hershel- he'd refused of course and most people seemed to come to the conclusion that Lori had gone on her own. Even though Penny seemed to have taken a liking to the older woman, she couldn't deny it was a stupid move. Taking off into town, on your own, not knowing where to go or what you'll find there was the definition of irresponsible. That wasn't even mentioning the fact that Lori was pregnant and had a son at the farm. A son who was not at all happy that both of his parents had taken off.

It had gotten dark by the time Shane had left and still there was no sign of anyone returning. Most people had taken to sitting or standing on the porch, watching for approaching headlights- except for Carol, who Penny had seen walking back off in the direction of Daryl's make-shift camp. The woman was consistent with him, Penny would give her that. She was positive she would not have the patience it took to get through to someone like Daryl.

T-Dog had spotted Penny sitting on the steps after a little while and decided to keep her company. She had only ever spoken to the man properly once and that was when the group had first arrived and T-Dog was slightly out of it from the blood loss and infection that came from slicing his arm on a car door. He'd been nice enough- Penny just hadn't been a very sociable person for the past five days.

"Look kinda lonely over here," T-Dog said taking a seat on Penny's right. It wasn't that he was looking for a reason to talk to Penny to try to hit on her or anything; she was just sat away from the others, looking kind of dejected. He couldn't lie and say he wasn't attracted to her, she was a good looking girl as were all of the Greene's, but he was a nice enough guy to not try and flirt with a girl while she looked so down.

"I'm fine," Penny answered, not looking away from the step below her. It must have been around eight, Rick and Glenn had been gone for hours. The trip into town should have taken maybe two at the most, so where were they? Obviously something had gone wrong.

"What happened at the barn…" T-Dog began. He'd thought that was probably what was getting her so down, she'd lost a lot that day and a lot more had happened since then. That's not saying that he felt it was the wrong decision- he completely agreed with Shane's choice to clear out the barn since it was such an obvious danger to the group but looking at the Greene family, seeing what it had done to them, he could see why the irrationality of the whole thing would cause problems. Shane had jumped in, head first, and didn't consider the family of the 'people' they were shooting down. Then again, none of them had.

"Can we not talk about that?" Penny replied, a bitter edge to her tone. She lowered her head again, resting it in her hands which were propped up by her elbows on her knees. She ran a tired hand through her messy ponytail; all she could think about was lying down somewhere and taking a very long nap. She had no desire to discuss the events that had happened leading to this whole nightmare.

"Sorry," T-Dog replied whilst wringing his hands in an almost nervous manner. "But I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to your-"

Luckily for Penny, a car turned onto the driveway then saving her from further discussion. She jumped up, cutting off T-Dog's words, and walked towards it, following after Andrea. It was Shane's car that much was obvious and she found herself forgetting about her missing father for a moment as she worried about whether or not Shane had found Lori.

Her question was answered as both doors opened and Lori and Shane both stepped out. Lori was holding something to her head, looking a little worse for wear from what Penny could see with the lack of light.

"Oh my god, are you alright?" Andrea asked, running towards the injured woman to place a hand on her arm. "What happened?"

"I'm fine. I just had an accident," Lori replied. Shane tried to see to her but she pushed him away, repeating that she was fine. "Where's Rick?"

Penny looked up, a little startled at the question. Clearly she thought he was back and Penny couldn't help but look at Shane in confusion as he stepped by her.

"They're not back?" No one knew quite how to answer Lori and so she turned to Shane, asking him again where they were. He hesitated for a moment before answering and it was obvious what he would say before the words came out.

"I had to get you back here."

"You asshole," Lori muttered as she walked towards him, furious.

"Lori," Shane began as he stepped back, out of the way of the assault she began on his chest, beating her hands against him all the while shouting about Rick. "I will go after them but first things first, I gotta look after you… make sure the baby's alright, ok."

His words hit everyone as they turned shocked eyes to Lori, all except Penny who glared furiously at Shane. He'd done that on purpose- shifting Lori's attention from Rick to the baby, knowing that she would have to deal with the group reaction to that. It was a low move, one that was completely unfair; Lori should have had the chance to tell everyone when she felt like it, not because Shane needed an escape route. Penny was beginning to wonder how she had ever truly liked the man.

"You're having a baby?" Carl spoke from the back of the group. It was clear how annoyed the kid was. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I…" Lori began but couldn't seem to find the words. She was truly speech-less. Lori had wanted the chance to tell Carl on her own terms, at the right time. Shane had taken that.

"Come on, let's go get you checked out," Dale said, reaching out an arm to Lori in an indication for her to go with him. Andrea too left with them; Lori threw Shane another furious glare.

-8-

The sun streaming directly through the thick red curtains caused Penny to stir. The room was thrown into a mixture of red and yellow light from the gap in the curtains that was letting through the morning sunlight. The single ray that filtered through was landing directly on her cheek, causing her face to heat up, it was enough to make her uncomfortable and so she raised her hand to cover her eyes as they opened.

Penny was slightly surprised to see that it was morning. She was even more surprised to see that she had fallen asleep in Beth's room last night. The last thing she remembered was sitting on the bed after Maggie had left for her own room and straining her ears to catch every little sound from outside. Penny had been sure that her father would be home that night and so she was determined to wait up for him even if it was only to give him a piece of her mind. Eventually though, as the hours continued to pass with no sign of them, Penny's eyes had begun to flicker from the sheer exhaustion of the day. She could vaguely remember curling up into Beth's side but after that her memory was blank.

Suddenly remembering that Beth was beside her, Penny looked down to her right to see Beth in the exact same position she had been left in yesterday and Penny was left wondering whether Beth had slept. Was she asleep now? If she did sleep, did her eyes stay open? Surely keeping your eyes open for so long without blinking wasn't good… or even possible. She had too many questions and with only a high school education in biology and a first aid course behind her, she had no clue at all about any of this.

The door opened and Patricia stepped into the room, surprised when she saw Penny lying there with Beth. The girl in question sat up immediately.

"Did you stay in here last night?" Patricia questioned, though she already knew the answer. Even if Penny hadn't been lying on the bed, her crumpled clothing, messy hair and the slight bags under her eyes were clue enough. Patricia proceeded to open the curtains, causing Penny to flinch from the direct light.

"I fell asleep waiting for Dad," She answered, still waiting for her eyes to adjust.

"Please tell me you did not stay up all night," Maggie said as she entered the room, taking in Penny's dishevelled and still somewhat exhausted look which wasn't surprising since she had probably gotten three hours sleep, if that.

"I did not stay up all night," Penny muttered in reply, running a hand across her eyes in an attempt to make them stay open.

"Good, then you won't be too tired to get dressed and help me with chores today since we did nothing yesterday," Maggie said, taking control. She had to though, Penny was the oldest yes but she was also taking everything too hard on herself, shown through the fact she couldn't keep her eyes open right now.

Penny sighed in response to Maggie's words. She knew Maggie was goading her slightly in order to get Penny to accept that she needed to sleep but Maggie was right about the chores needing to be done. With everything that happened yesterday, there were a dozen more things on top of the things that already needed to be done that day. Sometimes, she really did regret moving back to the farm. Penny raised her hands to rub at her eyes once more before she stood up, wincing slightly as her tired muscles protested the movement.

"Alright, let me shower quick and I'll meet you back in here," Penny told Maggie, not bothering to wait for confirmation before dragging herself out of the room.

Maggie watched her walk out before turning to Patricia, "Why does it feel like I'm the only one of us still coping?"

Patricia merely smiled sadly at her as she too watched Penny leave.

-8-

There was a reason Penny had chosen to move to Atlanta to go to college and not some remote place that was a lot cheaper- Atlanta was busy. Growing up on a farm, it was pretty secluded apart from the neighbouring farms but even they were miles away. Thinking back now Penny wouldn't change where she spent her childhood but at the time she hadn't been thrilled with having to walk for an hour just to see her school friends. Now she would give just about anything to be able to do that. It was true that the farm was a little more crowded now with the group's arrival and she still had her family but even whilst surrounded by people, it was easy to feel lonely. It was even easier to feel lonely and bitter, especially while the only thing keeping you awake was a quick cup of very strong, black coffee.

After literally forcing herself into a cold shower, in the hopes of waking herself up, Penny had managed to pull on clean clothes that actually matched before digging into the farm work - steaming coffee in hand.

It was a lot easier than she expected to be able to forget about the day before when she was properly absorbed in her task; clearly she had other things to worry about now. It wasn't just that though, whenever she thought about the barn incident she found that it wasn't the actual act itself that made her mad- it was Shane that was getting her mad, not what he had done. She wasn't even sure if that sounded like sense in her drained state. That was kind of what it was though, Penny only felt tired- she wasn't furious or depressed by the thought of what occurred. Honestly, it felt like one weight had been lifted from the many she was carrying on her shoulders. Maybe it was just because she was beyond worn-out and she wasn't thinking properly but it was one less thing she had to worry about. Of course she missed her family but she missed the people they were, not the things that had tried to eat both of her sisters now.

Carefully stacking the final two eggs in the basket balanced on her hip, Penny left the chicken coop. a quick glance to her right put the barn in perfect view and Penny was vaguely aware that they were going to have to clean that out properly at some point if they ever planned on using it again. Walking back to the house, she didn't know if she was happy about running into Carl or not. She'd talked to the young boy alone a few times when he had been on bed rest. He was one of the few people she had talked to in the first couple of days- he was a kid and it was kind of impossible to be mad around a twelve-year-old that had just been shot. Carl seemed particularly energetic that day though- something Penny was feeling far from. The whole way to the house he babbled about how he was going to be 'Big Brother Carl' and it was particularly sweet when he was saying how he was going to protect the baby from everything. Half way through though, Penny's mind went into shut down and she wasn't really focusing on Carl's words anymore. She was barely even focusing on keeping the basket of eggs in her hand.

"Penny?"

She blinked as she heard Carl call her name and gripped the basket a little more firmly once she finally realised it was slipping. She also became aware of the footsteps slightly behind them and her head turned on instinct only to be met with a rather familiar pair of blue eyes. Daryl didn't hold her gaze; he simply looked to the floor and picked up his pace a little to walk around her. Even if he was ignoring her, Penny felt like he was still in a better mood than he had been the day before.

"Decided to break your self-imposed exile I see," She called out as he passed her, gaining a scowl and narrowed eyes in response.

"Saw one a the cars drivin' up," Daryl replied. "Figured I should see who made it back."

One car. Penny's breath picked up as Daryl muttered the words- why would they only come back in one car? She hadn't spent much time worrying about her father in the past couple of hours and she refused to feel guilty about that -he was the one who ran off- but still the thought of him not returning in that car was unbearable.

"My Dad's back?" Carl asked, causing the two adults to remember he was actually there. His face lit up at the prospect of Rick's return and Penny hoped for his sake and everyone else's that Rick was one of the people in the car. In fact, she didn't think she could accept the death of any of the three men that had gone into town.

"Why don't we go find out?" Penny replied. She waved Carl ahead of her and he took off but she walked at a much slower pace just behind Daryl. Penny was in no rush to get there. If her father was there, she didn't know how she would react to him just taking off on top of drinking again but if he wasn't there… she couldn't even think about it.

Reaching the front of the house, Penny watched with apprehension as she watched the passenger door of the red truck open. The relief she felt when she saw her father standing there was instantaneous. She wanted nothing more to run to him and have his comforting presence there but she just couldn't do it. The anger she felt at his abandonment and the sheer exhaustion returning froze her in place. She watched as Maggie skirted around their father, ignoring him completely as she made her way to Glenn. Hershel found Penny's eyes a minute later as he looked at the people in front of him. Penny made no move towards him or away from him; she simply held his gaze until Hershel was the one to break the contact. He knew his daughter's disappointed look and it hit hard to know he caused her to feel like that.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery," Hershel said as soon as he was clear of the truck. Penny wasn't so sure she had heard him correctly. The three of them looked perfectly fine, minus the fatigue that hung over them, who would need surgery then…?

"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog asked, drawing everyone's attention to the last person in the truck.

"That's Randall," Glenn replied.

The person was a boy- definitely a boy, not a man. He was young, that much was obvious from his smaller frame and younger complexion. There was a piece of material acting as a blindfold tied securely across his eyes and his head was lolling from side to side- he really didn't look too good.

"We couldn't have just left him behind, he would've bled out… if he lived that long," Rick stated as everyone sat in a group 'meeting'. Penny was sure that if she had enough energy left, she would have been furious. There they were, sat having a meeting about another stranger they had just brought onto the land. And this one was definitely a little more trigger happy.

"It's gotten bad in town," Glenn spoke quietly, drawing the attention of Maggie who stood against the wall beside Penny. It wasn't difficult to notice the way Glenn's eyes would dart past Maggie and not really look at her.

"What do we do with him?" Andrea asked but before Rick was able to answer, Hershel re-entered the room.

"I've repaired his calf muscle as best I can but he'll probably have nerve damage. Won't be on his feet for at least a week."

"When he is, we give him a canteen, take him out to the main road… send him on his way," Rick told them in that tone that suggested he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Isn't that the same as leaving him for the walkers?" Andrea spoke again. She had a very valid point. Rick had been adamant that they rescued the kid because it wasn't right to leave him there as a meal on a stick.

Penny briefly looked around when the door creaked and noticed Daryl's entrance… their eyes connected as he nodded in greeting to T-Dog and Penny sent him a small, rather strained smile, again receiving a duck of his head in response. Maybe he'd decided against distancing himself from the group after all. Penny didn't miss the way Carol copied her actions a few seconds later.

"Least he'll have a fighting chance," Penny heard Rick respond as she refocused on the matter at hand.

"So we're just gonna let him go? He knows where we are," Shane interrupted causing Penny's jaw to tighten, mostly because at that moment, she had been thinking the exact same thing.

"He was blindfolded the whole way here. He's not a threat," Rick insisted.

"Not a threat, how many were there? You killed three of their men, you took one of them hostage but they just ain't gonna come looking for him…"

"They left him for dead. No one is looking."

"We should still post a guard," T-Dog interrupted. The whole meeting was starting to feel like more of a battle and Penny was just too tired of it. She leaned her body back so that the wall was supporting her.

"He's out cold right now, will be for hours."

"You know, I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy," Shane declared in his typically subtle way. "Look at this folks, we back in fantasy land."

"We haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet," Hershel spoke up, surprising Penny a little as she re-adjusted herself on to her feet. She wouldn't put it past them to start another fight. "Let me make this perfectly clear once and for all. This is my farm and I wanted you gone. Rick talked me out of it but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favour, keep your mouth shut."

Penny couldn't help the small rise of her eyebrows as she looked at her father, rather impressed with his outburst. She honestly didn't think he would do that right then. It was even more impressive when Shane simply turned around and walked out of the door. As her father turned around, Penny caught his eyes and the small nod she gave him was indication enough to Hershel that she didn't completely hate him.

"Look we're not gonna do anything about it now," Rick stated, placing a hand on Hershel's shoulder. "Let's just cool off."

-8-

Penny stood in Beth's bedroom once more as she fought back yawn that threatened to overcome her. She had been planning on sleeping when her father got back; just for a couple of hours at least but then Randall happened and everything was a disaster again… she was sure that if there was a God, he hated them all.

Hershel entered then, glancing at Penny once before he moved to take the seat at Beth's bed side. Penny found she had nothing to say to him. She wanted to yell at him, find the answers to the questions that had been running through her head since yesterday but she just couldn't find the energy.

"You look exhausted." Hershel stated as he reached a hand to feel for Beth's pulse, pulling out his pocket watch at the same time.

"I'm fine," Penny snapped. It seemed her temper wasn't holding- not that she thought it would.

Hershel chose not to comment- forcing Penny to do something while she was in this state would only ensure the opposite was done. Instead he focused on Beth, asking if she had eaten and saying he was going to give her a sedative but Penny already found herself losing focus. She couldn't have cared less at that point what he was going to do as long as he did it and it made Beth better.

"Sure you're _sober_ enough to be doing that?" Penny once again snapped. The sudden outbursts of her anger were becoming less easy to identify as she tried to stay awake long enough to actually have the conversation. Hershel simply hung his head at the accusation in her voice. "You were drinking."

"That was the least of my worries," Hershel replied and it did nothing but make Penny narrow her eyes at him.

"_Your_ worries? You left us! You left and I didn't know what to do!" Penny almost yelled in reply. But she received no answer- that didn't stop her from carrying on. "Beth collapsed right in front of me and I couldn't do _anything_ apart from put her to bed. Me and Maggie were here tryna look after her while you were off getting drunk. Well I hope you enjoyed it, _Daddy._"

She spat the last word like some kind of insult and Hershel couldn't find it in him to respond. He'd failed his daughters, he knew that but then again he'd known that for a while now. Penny scoffed and shook her head at his lack of reply before she found she didn't even want to be in the same room as him.

Deciding that now was as good a time as any, Penny slowly made her way up the stairs and into her room. The window was open slightly, allowing a soft draft to float into the room. She thought she wouldn't be able to sleep with everything going on in her mind, it should have kept her awake but the little sleep she'd had the night before last added onto the drama of yesterday and the lack of sleep the previous night finally caught up to her and it was easy to say she was relieved when she finally drifted to sleep.

-8-

The soft scrape of the blade on wood was the only sound Daryl focused on. Back in his isolated camp, it was easy to wallow in the anger he felt towards the world right now. He wasn't even sure why he was so angry. He'd left his camp earlier to see if Rick and Glenn had made it back and that was it but then he'd seen the kid and they just had to have a group meeting, one that Daryl felt pretty obliged to attend. He shouldn't have gone but he had found himself going even as he remembered thinking that he really didn't want to go.

It was that comment the girl had made earlier about his 'self-imposed exile'. Daryl didn't really know why the comment stuck with him- that was after all, exactly what he was doing; deliberately exiling himself but having someone else tell him that… it was almost an instinctual reaction for him to deny it. To show she was wrong. He didn't like people knowing about him. It was bad enough that Carol had decided to take him on as her new project; he didn't need the new chick to suddenly become interested in his life too.

It was Carol that had spurred his irritation when the meeting finished. She'd looked happy when he had shown up and he could almost deal with that, even if it was a little confusing to him, it was the way she seemed to rush up to him afterwards as if everything just changed because he had walked through the door. It hadn't- he was still pissed. At her, at everyone.

The feeling of anger was a little strange to Daryl though. Not because he hadn't experienced it before or he wasn't accustomed to it but simply because no matter how much he yelled, it just didn't seem to be disappearing. It would, for a little while, and then come back again when the slightest thing triggered it. Maybe this place was messing him up.

Last night he'd shouted at Carol- yelled all the things to her that sometimes he wished he could yell at himself. He'd been an utter asshole to her but still she was there the next day. He'd had an argument with Penny too which turned into an almost conversation, if it were possible for the two of them to have an actual conversation. They'd both shouted insensitive things at one another but again, she had spoken to him… smiled at him even.

This was the feeling Daryl wasn't accustomed to- forgiveness. Both women had seemed to forgive him for his outbursts and that just wasn't something he was used to; a smack across the face or a fist to the stomach, sure, but not forgiveness. That just made him all the more bitter. They could forgive him for the things he'd said to them but he still couldn't let go of his own problems.

Daryl sighed heavily as he looked around his make-shift camp before glancing back up to the distant farmhouse. He couldn't even pretend that he wanted to leave anymore- there was no life for him away from here.

* * *

**So I seriously lacked motivation for this one which is why I kept putting off writing it. Not my favourite chapter and I will admit the main reason I wanted Penny to go into town was because this episode is pretty boring once you take the action out of it. **

**Anyway, as we all know after this episode is a week-long gap before Rick and Shane drive Randall out. I plan on putting my own stuff into that week to extend the chapters and get this to where I need it to be before they leave the farm. I have a few ideas floating around but if there's any scenes/ideas anyone can think of, I'll try to fit them in. You guys responded to the voting thing so well last time, maybe we'll do some more of that. **

**Next chapter is the first one of my, technically, original stuff. No doubt it will take a little longer than normal to come out since I'm pretty much making it up as I go along.**

**Thanks for reading/fav/alert… you know the drill. Plus this was added to 'The best of Daryl Dixon' community. That's just crazy. Special thank you to whoever did that.**

**Leyshla Gisel: I was honestly just sick of all the arguments ending on a bad note. You're right about her not walking away though. Thanks for reviewing again!**

**Piratejessieswaby: It's going to take a while for Daryl to let her in but they're heading in the right direction.**

**Emberka-2012: I always think that when you put two angry people together, they're either going to burn each other out or end up attacking each other. They're definitely better when they're not fighting even if it fun to write.**

**Stardustismagic: where am I starting? Is it wrong that I'm glad it made you sad? That was the little bit you inspired. Carter wasn't her fiancé originally and then it just found its way in there. I'm kind of trying to balance out Denny and 'coffin dodger' time. I'm glad liked the argument, it was a lot of fun to write. Love you toooo!**

**Hapi Graveltoes: Wow, thank you! I'm really glad you like the Daryl/Penny moments. I'm not one for jumping in straight away, they need to have some sort of connection first. I haven't read Rise of the Governor for some strange reason but I have looked into Penny and well, I won't lie, I was a little surprised by the character. Sounds really good though! Thank you, again, for reviewing!**

**Honeyconcha: your review made me smile. It's great how much of a grasp of this you have! I felt like the trust thing between Rick and Penny was a big thing. She doesn't trust easily but if she trusts Rick, she'll trust him to keep the group in check. They definitely need to start working together and I think we start to see a bit more of them doing that in the next couple of episodes.**

**Padme400: Firstly, your use of 'Denny' made me smile so much! Really glad you liked that bit. I could see her doing both as well which was why I was having so much trouble with it. In the end, it was the trust conversation that won me over- it felt like something that needed to be done. Thanks for reviewing again!**

**Hope you all like this one, drop me a review if you feel like it!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – _Single book of matches, gonna burn what's standing in the way?_

Penny stared at the boy laid out in front of her. He was tied down onto the metal bed in Hershel's medical shed- the one saved for animal surgery. The bed had graciously been padded with blankets to at least make it a little more comfortable. The boy, Randall, couldn't have been much older than 18. He was a kid. A kid who had been forced into bad situations- then again, hadn't they all?

Rick had told them the story. Two guys in a bar start making trouble, it sounded almost normal, until you added the fact that these guys were carrying guns and had drew them on Rick and so he had defended himself. He'd taken them both down single-handedly and Penny was not about to deny that that was a pretty impressive thing even if he had killed two living people. From the sounds of it, they wouldn't have taken no for an answer when Rick told them that the farm was unavailable to them. But they hadn't travelled alone. Their friends hadn't been too happy to hear about Dave and Tony's demise and once the gun fire started to ring out, the walkers heard the dinner bell. After the first of the three men was taken down and became a living meal, the others tried to take off but Randall slipped from the roof he had been firing from and impaled his leg on a metal fence. The other guy just drove off.

Being the honourable man he was, Rick had brought the kid back to the farm. Hershel had managed to save his leg and so now all they could do was wait until Randall was healed enough to be taken back out without being an easy target.

Bringing another outsider to the farm was an incredibly risky thing and Penny hadn't been hesitant in telling Rick so but she could also see where he was coming from. The man had to be the most honest and respectable guy still around and he was forced to make decisions in difficult situations; he did what he thought was best to protect his people. At that moment, Penny had more respect for Rick than she did her own father. Hershel had left her and her sisters to fend for themselves when they needed him most. It wasn't something she was going to forgive easily; they were in the second day of silence now.

Looking back at Randall, Penny felt for him, she really did- if it was Shaun laid there looking as pale and vulnerable as Randall did, Penny would've prayed someone would do the decent thing with him. It was only the thought of Shaun and the fact that Randall was actually a kid that made Penny not want to kick him off the farm just yet. He could heal and then make his way back to his own group. She was starting to think she was going soft.

"Do you recognise him?" Rick asked from beside her.

Penny was visiting Randall for a number of reasons. First off, she had wanted to make sure he wasn't a huge threat- which he didn't seem to be right at that moment- and secondly, she'd lived in these parts most of her life, Rick knew that and he thought there could be a slight chance she might have recognised him now that he was somewhat cleaned up. Beth or Jimmy would probably have had a better chance but Beth was still unresponsive and Penny didn't want to risk Jimmy in the same room as a potential threat.

"No," Penny sighed with a small shake of her head. "He's what 17, 18? I haven't really been around here much for the past five years. If I have seen him, I don't remember."

Rick nodded, "It was worth a shot."

They walked back out of the shed together, Rick nodding at Andrea whose turn it was on Randall-watch-duty. Rick had figured it would be safer to have someone guarding him at all times, even if he was tied up and out cold and Penny wasn't protesting. They walked in a comfortable silence for a little while until Rick glanced curiously at Penny- the small remark about not being around the farm for the past five years had got him wondering about her. A few days ago, he wouldn't have even thought about asking the oldest Greene girl about her past but now for a reason he wasn't entirely sure of, he felt he could.

"So you haven't been here for five years?" He asked. Penny glanced up at him before answering.

"More like Seven. Went to college… didn't come back apart from the odd visit and holidays," She told him. It wasn't even a surprise to her that she didn't mind telling Rick about her past.

"Which college were you at?" Rick asked again.

"Georgia State. History major," Penny replied, again glancing at Rick with a small smile.

"Atlanta?" His eyebrows rose at the thought. "Did you stay there?"

Penny nodded. She could see where his thoughts had gone- she had been living in Atlanta for the past seven years and he had seen Atlanta recently. Although Penny hadn't been back since the outbreak, she knew the destruction that had occurred in the small town just down the road so it wasn't too difficult to imagine it on a city scale.

"You were in Atlanta for the outbreak?"

"Got out in the first wave of evacuation. Luckily enough I was coming home that exact day anyway so my bags were packed before anyone else even thought of what to do. Me and Carter got in his car; we were out of there five minutes later."

There was silence for a moment as Rick thought back to the horror of the Atlanta streets. It was pure luck and Glenn that had gotten him out of there; he could only imagine the panic of the people there at first and that would've caused even more fatalities. Penny had been incredibly lucky to get out when she did.

"You were lucky. I've been to Atlanta since it fell…" Rick trailed off. It was difficult to put into words how bad the place was.

"I saw the broadcasts. And I know how bad it is in town so I can imagine," Penny replied. "Still miss it though. This place, it's so small… and quiet. Never thought I'd miss the noise of Atlanta."

"You can say that again," Rick laughed.

The pair walked in silence for a few moments, seeming to be heading in the general direction of the gathered tents.

"Hey Rick?"

The man in question turned to look at Penny when she didn't elaborate. Her eyebrows were drawn down into a confused frown and she was biting on her lower lip as if deliberating something.

"You promised me you'd bring my dad back and you did. You didn't have to go after him but you did," Penny stated, shaking her head slightly in almost disbelief as her frown turned into a small smile. Rick saw this and smiled gently in response.

"I owe Hershel a lot. What he did for Carl... He saved my boy and then gave us all a place to stay. I had to go after him. Not just for him but for you, for your sisters."

Penny's smile widened slightly at his response and her gaze dropped to the floor before she looked up to meet his eyes again. "You're a good man Rick."

Hearing this from Penny seemed to mean a lot to Rick. She had been the one hesitant to allow them on the farm, well hesitant wasn't really the right word- she was dead set against it. He distinctly remembered the look she had given him after he had allowed Maggie to ride off in search of Lori that very first day at the farm. To know that in only a week of being there, he had managed to change her opinion gave him hope that maybe she'd come to accept them all being there, if she hadn't already.

Another silence ensued and Rick risked a glance down at the young woman beside him. The smile that had lit up her soft features only moments before had disappeared. Penny seemed to once again be deliberating something- he could see the frown and front teeth cutting into her lower lip.

"There something else bothering you?" Rick questioned, truly concerned for her.

Penny's mouth opened as if she were about to respond but closed again. They were nearing the camp now and more people were within hearing distance- confiding in Rick was one thing but Penny didn't want everyone knowing her business. Seeing her glance at the other people, Rick realised the reason for her hesitation. He placed a light hand on Penny's forearm to gain her attention before motioning his head to the left of them. There was a small patch of dirt just on the other side of the trees. It was close to camp but not close enough for anyone to hear.

"I should be grateful that you brought my Dad back," Penny spoke once they had both sunk, cross-legged, onto the dry ground.

"And you're not?" Rick asked, confused by her confession. Penny didn't meet his eyes but she felt his gaze on the side of her face. Instead she focused on the line of trees a little ways out- the ones that covered Daryl's make-shift camp, coincidentally.

"I am really but… he left us. Part of me feels like maybe he should've stayed away."

"Do you really think that or is this just because you haven't forgiven him yet?"

Penny sucked in a mouthful of air before releasing it again in a rush. "He walked away. He walked away when we needed him just to get drunk in a place he knew wasn't safe. How do I even begin to forgive him?"

Rick considered her words for a moment. Penny's eyes flickered to his face when his reply still never came. Rick's eyes were narrowed slightly, a sign of his concentration.

"I talked to Hershel at the bar," Rick eventually replied. "Thought he'd failed you all-"

"He did." Penny interrupted.

"He made a mistake, Penny. No one is perfect. Hershel did what he thought was right… you know, we think of our parents as some kind of hero but even parents make mistakes."

"You don't seem to be doing too badly," Penny finally meets his gaze but Rick averted his eyes this time. He wasn't about to call himself a great parent- like he said, everyone makes mistakes.

"Just don't be too hard on Hershel. You're all going through the same thing… you've got to stick together," Rick said, bringing the topic back to the matter at hand and not his personal faults.

Penny couldn't reply. She wasn't sure she would be able to answer with any honesty anyway. What could she say? She was positive she wasn't going to forgive her father anytime soon and right now, they weren't sticking together. They were broken, separate. Shown through the fact that she was out there, talking to him, instead of inside by Beth's bedside like everyone else.

"So Randall… what are you doing with him for now?" Penny asked, if only as a subject change.

Rick sighed heavily, "Not sure. Can't leave him in that shed… not exactly secure and it's too close to the house, the camp…"

"You could use the barn."

Rick looked up sharply, "the barn?"

"Well it's already been secured once. Wouldn't be too hard to do it again. Plus it's far enough away from our house and your camp."

The more the two thought about it, the more logical moving Randall to the barn seemed. The barn could be more secure, it was more spacious and it was further away. It was almost the perfect place as far as holding an injured yet potentially dangerous hostage went.

"I'll talk to Hershel."

"Why?" Penny asked, slightly offended at the thought. It was her idea.

"It's his barn, his land. And he's the one treating-"

"Look," Penny interrupted again, turning her upper body to face Rick straight on. "My dad left the other day knowing I could take control, so I am."

Rick stared at Penny for a moment as she seemed to be suddenly uplifted at the thought of being in charge. Her cheeks had more colour and her eyes seemed a lot greener than usual, her expression was determined. Rick knew Penny was the type of person who enjoyed being in control, especially in the world they were currently living in where being in charge of your own life seemed to be a thing of the past. Knowing he would probably regret it later, Rick nodded. He would let Penny do this but he wasn't going to keep it from Hershel either. They could sort it out between themselves if they had to.

-8-

The heavy stench of death still hung in the air of the enclosed barn. Penny had been right in thinking that they would need to clean it out. Randall may have been a hostage but that didn't mean he had to live in the same place as fifteen re-animated corpses had been only days before without it being made a little more hygienic.

For whatever reason, Penny still couldn't bring herself to stand on the floor of the barn. Instead she had taken to the upper level. From there she could see the scattered feathers and patches of blood that were the evidence of what used to happen in there. They had fed dead people- their family and friends and, unknowingly, the dead body of a twelve-year-old girl. Maybe that was why Penny had chosen to stand on the upper level; she had been safe up there. When carrying out the task herself, she would throw the chickens from there and it was as safe as it could be given the situation. There was still that part of her that was terrified that if she stepped foot onto the ground below, something would come crawling out of the shadows, ready to devour her.

Closing off the irrational part of her mind, Penny climbed back down the outside ladder and walked to the front door of the barn. It was already open but from that view she could only see two thirds of the barn- the parts that weren't thrown into shadows. She took a tentative step forward, only two more and she would be in the doorway. Taking a deep breath and telling herself to get a grip, Penny took the further two necessary steps and then stopped. She never realised she was holding her breath, ears straining for the sounds of hunger-driven moans. Her eyes sought out every dark crevice to reassure herself there was nothing there.

"The hell you doin'?

Penny spun around, completely startled and had to catch herself on the wooden doorframe from the force. Her eyes met Daryl's as she glared at him which only caused him to smirk at the fact he had scared her that much.

"That your only form of greeting?" she snapped at him, her cheeks flushed slightly from the shock and embarrassment at being caught sneaking into her own barn by Daryl of all people. For a man that was supposed to be angry at the world in a self-imposed exile, he sure was hanging around a lot.

Daryl ignored her and started towards the barn causing Penny to step out of the way to allow him to pass without bumping into each other.

"Scared some'in might jump out at yer?" Daryl asked in a tone that could be taken as mocking but Penny couldn't be sure with Daryl. Either way, she scowled at the question. Daryl stepped inside and his eyes quickly swept around it.

"I'm not scared of an empty barn," Penny told him. She moved forward again, going into the barn fully this time after seeing Daryl standing inside without being attacked. "We're moving Randall in here. Figured it needed cleaning out a little." She motioned her head to the nearest blood patch.

Daryl eyed her as she continued to look around the enclosed space. He hadn't missed that she'd said 'we' instead of 'Rick'- clearly Penny had moved up a little if she was making decisions alongside Rick. He also caught the way she seemed to be holding herself more today, her posture being much more similar to the way she had been during their first 'conversation' in the stables. Footsteps just outside the barn caused Daryl to look away from Penny in time to see Carl appear in the doorway.

"Penny?" Carl began. "My dad said you were clearing this out. I wanna help."

Penny looked at him in confusion. The fact that a twelve-year-old was volunteering to clean up was a little baffling. She had been seeing a lot of the kid lately; he always seemed to be around when she was. She was reluctant to allow him to help- he had only been shot a week ago after all.

"Erm I think I got this Carl but thanks for the offer," Penny replied after exchanging a brief look with Daryl who was indifferent about the whole thing.

"By yourself?"

Penny looked towards Daryl again but he seemed more interested in poking his boot at something black, rotten and vaguely finger-like on the floor beside him.

Focusing back on Carl, Penny tried to tell him it was ok, she could do it alone- it wasn't that hard- but he wasn't having it. In the end, just as a way of finishing the argument, she allowed him to help but only on the basis that he informed at least one of his parents where he was and then went to find Jimmy on the way back. She already knew the older boy would do whatever she asked him to. The only person left to figure out was Daryl- she didn't know if he was helping or just watching or leaving.

"You got shovels?" Daryl asked, breaking the silence and Penny's inner musings about him.

"Yeah, in the stables. You're actually gonna help?" she asked, raising her eyebrows as he simply stalked past her. Penny thought she heard him mutter something along the lines of 'ain't got nothin' better to do' on the way out.

When he arrived at the stables, Daryl immediately spotted the tools lying beside the door, naturally on the opposite end to where he was stood. He passed Nelly's stall and glared at the offending horse but Nelly just gave a derisive snort in his direction.

"Yeah? Ain't so thrilled to see you neither," He responded.

Finally reaching the tools, Daryl selected two of the more sturdy shovels and a metal rake then turned to see if there was a wheelbarrow or something similar around- they needed to move the dirt somehow. Honestly, he wasn't even sure why he was helping. Maybe he was bored sitting around and carving out his arrows all day; well, actually he knew he was. With the farm fully stocked up on meat from their livestock, Daryl had no need to hunt. But he missed it. Hunting was the one thing he did that he enjoyed, was good at and it helped the others. Without it he wasn't sure what use he had apart from walking around, looking miserable and pretty much ignoring the rest of them.

His 'self-imposed exile' wasn't working out too well as he found himself making excuses to take a walk up to the house or to the camp. After two days, he found his anger at the world hadn't diminished but his anger at the group had lessened after his little epiphany last night. Daryl knew he wanted to stay so what was the point in being an ass about it? If it wasn't for his sheer stubbornness and the need to prove a point, he would have moved his tent back already.

Daryl soon realised that there was no wheelbarrow or anything vaguely similar in sight but when he walked slightly more to the left of the stables, he spotted something large covered by a blue, plastic sheet. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, in his typical manner, Daryl stalked over, keeping a shovel but dropping the others as he went –never knew what was hiding around the place. He pulled back the blue cover to half way, revealing a slightly beat up and weathered quad bike. Eyes narrowing, Daryl pulled the sheet off fully. The bike wasn't too old with the tires still in a decent condition but the front was pushed in, the bright, blue paint scratched pretty badly. Obviously it had been in an accident at some point. The handle bars were also bent at an odd angle and Daryl reached out to try to straighten them but stopped when the sound of gravel crunching beneath feet reached him.

"Thought you were getting shovels, not digging around back here," Penny spoke as Daryl acknowledged her arrival. Her face was a blank mask, not one emotion slipping through but it wasn't hard for Daryl to see the way her eyes focused on his face- not once did she glance in the direction of the uncovered bike.

"Nice bike," was the only comment he made.

Penny's façade didn't slip apart from the very deliberate, sarcastic smirk that made its way onto her face. "Thanks. Now if you're done admiring things that aren't yours, there's a floor full of dead shit that's needs cleaning."

Daryl wasn't one to back away or take orders and this time was no different. He walked towards her and his bigger frame caused Penny to look up to keep the eye contact between them. Daryl thrust the shovel into her hands.

"Yer best get started then."

"Afraid of a little work Daryl?"

She was taunting him and they both knew it. The problem was Daryl's pride couldn't allow him to take the blow and walk away and Penny's wouldn't let him.

"More your area, ain't it?" He snapped back.

Penny's arms crossed over her chest, the shovel still held in one hand. Normally she would never have stood for someone making comments like that -assuming and judgemental ones- but for some reason, she knew not to take it to heart with Daryl and that seemed to make it ok.

"Never would've taken you for a sexist man."

"Full o' surprises."

The lack of space between them still went unnoticed as each refused to back down. This was the challenge- who would give in first. A smirk made its way onto Penny's face again as Daryl's eyes narrowed in the way that was so familiar to her now. His intense, blue stare didn't move from hers and she couldn't deny that he was slightly intimidating from this angle. His broad shoulders were levelled with her head so when her gaze dropped first, Penny found herself looking at his chest for a brief moment before she diverted her eyes.

An eye roll was Penny's way of blowing off the whole incident, pushing the shovel back into Daryl's torso but subconsciously making sure it hit his right side- the side that wasn't injured.

"Maybe you should get working on your feminine side then," Penny remarked as she moved over to the bike, pulling the cover back over it after only a seconds hesitation in which she took in the bike's appearance.

The blank mask was back in place once she turned to face Daryl again. Bending to pick up the other dropped tools, Penny let her gaze drift to Daryl again to find him just looking up as his head was tilted towards the ground. She sauntered past him, catching his eye once more before she moved out of sight.

**Bit of a pointless but necessary(?) chapter and poor ending but I'm not going to lie, I liked writing the interaction with both Rick and Daryl since they're pretty much opposite in the way Penny deals with them. Also I was suffering a severe case of writer's block, hence why it took two weeks to get this out. Next one should be a little more prompt since I actually want to write that one. Should be a lot better so don't give up on me yet! We're getting to the good stuff. **

**Since I haven't posted in two weeks- OH MY GOD! The Killer Within broke my heart but I now have a pretty solid plan for a Rick/OC story ;) Say The Word completely made my life and I have already written out a certain Daryl scene with Penny in it because it was too perfect.**

**Thanks for reading/favs/alerts. It's great to know people are still looking at this!**

**Piratejessieswaby: Good to know I have fellow Carol haters. Is it just me or is she even more annoying now that she has some sort of use to the group?**

**Leyshla Gisel: glad it seemed realistic! She definitely is not going to get over that for a while.**

**Leg64: Thank you for reviewing again! Sorry I took so long…**

**FanFicGirl10: Yeah Penny does not enjoy staying quiet. Here's an update, slightly late**

**Emberka-2012: No it really wasn't but I guess Rick wouldn't be him if he didn't do it.**

**StardustIsMagic: I wanted to hug her too! We have eye contact heaven here so I think it's safe to say they're not aware of anything just but SOON! Favourite chapter? Really? I actually like it a little better after I've just re-read it so I don't think it's that bad. Not in comparison to this horror. Love you babe.**

**Padme4000: Don't worry, I hope you're ok! Awwwh thank you! It's so hard to get your head around the amount of characters sometimes but I just think all the Greene's deserve love. Glad you loved it all!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – _if you thought I'd leave then you were wrong, cause I won't stop holding on_

It had been a week since Randall had been brought to the farm. A week since his own group had abandoned him for dead and Rick had been left with no choice but to bring the kid into his territory. Things had been quiet around the farm, well mostly. The tension remained but it was mostly undetectable unless you knew what you were looking for.

The Greene family, still mourning for their losses also had the continued problem of Beth to keep them occupied. They had little time to wonder about the fate of the teenager locked up in their barn -which Penny had eventually manage to fix up with the help of Carl, Jimmy and a quiet Daryl- waiting to be delivered to a roadside somewhere and forced to fend for himself. Of course it was the best course of action for everyone involved, including maybe Randall himself, but there were always those who would disagree and so it wasn't only the Greene's who were suffering dissent amongst their ranks. Between certain people being more vocal about Rick's chosen plan, Beth remaining in her severely depressed state- despite waking up and Randall causing more problems than solutions, it was clear to see where the heavy atmosphere was coming from.

It had been decided that Rick, as if anyone else would actually do it, would be responsible for driving Randall out into nowhere and setting him free, a safe distance from the farm. He would be gagged, blindfolded and bound, thrown into the trunk and then abandoned somewhere. It was easy to see where some disagreement came into it. But Rick knew what was he was doing and the majority would stand by his decisions. Even more so when he announced that Shane would be the one to accompany him. The Greene family, Penny in particular, were still not too thrilled by his actions the previous week and though Hershel had revoked his order that Shane leave the farm all together, the strain between all involved was painfully obvious and so the chance that he would be away from them for a day wasn't seen as a bad thing.

Penny was currently sitting by Beth's bedside, trying to coax a slightly happier response from the traumatised girl before her. She was trying, the whole family was, but old tales of past childish adventures and ruined vacations could only do so much. They were all aware Beth was just going through the motions of everyday life- wake up, get dressed, eat, sleep. She never smiled and never gave more than a few words in response. Penny didn't really know what was worse- this Beth or the one who couldn't move. But still, she was trying to remain hopeful since Beth used to be like the households ray of sunshine, with her smiles and optimism. Maybe she'd find a way back to that. The happiness and relief that swept through the farm when Beth had finally moved just a few days ago was fading fast.

"...and Shaun just swung you over his shoulder and ran away before me and Maggs even realised what was happening," Penny recounted. "I'd never heard something as small as you were screaming as much when he took you into the trees. We ran in there for hours, remember?" She smiled as she reminisced. "Then your mom came out, told us to get back in the house but you just stood there. Six-years-old and you were the most stubborn kid ever. Only way Annette got you in the house was by telling you the monsters would come and eat you..." Penny trailed off as she realised what she'd said. She couldn't look at Beth. "Ironic really," she muttered.

"Because she turned into a monster herself?" It wasn't so much Beth's words that startled Penny as much as the soft, defeated tone she used.

"Sweetie, I didn't mean-"

"Because _she_ was the one that tried to eat me?" Beth cut her off. The same defeated tone and Penny once again found herself unable to look at her youngest sister. Her eyes slid closed as she leant forward to rest her head in her hands.

"Knock, knock," Lori called out as she walked through the door, a tray of food balanced in her hands. She spotted Penny there and a quick glance at the sisters revealed the strain between them. Lori's eyebrows knitted together in concern as Penny met her gaze, eyes filled with emotion. The younger woman simply shook her head. Sensing Penny needed a break but knowing it wasn't exactly her place to tell her to leave her younger sister's bedside, Lori tried a different strategy.

She turned to the window before looking back at Beth. "How about this, you eat up all your food; we'll get you up and out of here and go take a walk. What do you say?" Getting Beth out would be beneficial to everyone. "It'd do you good to be outside." Penny looked to her sister for a response but Beth wasn't at all interested. It didn't even seem she was paying attention.

"You're pregnant?" Beth eventually responded. Her gaze didn't move away from her bed sheets and the same distant, defeated tone was back. "How could you do that?" The look on her face showed just what she thought of the idea- completely disgusted.

"Beth," Penny scolded but Beth didn't acknowledge her.

"I don't really have a choice," Lori tried to blow off the comment, an uncomfortable laugh forced.

"You think it'll make a difference?"

"Of course it will... You eat something." Lori replied before forcing a smile to Penny and leaving the room. Left alone with her sister, Penny glared at her. At this point the only thing she could think of was maybe a good slap would make Beth a little more responsive. She certainly felt like it, all traces of guilt at her earlier slip up forgotten. The strain was pulling harder on everyone.

Penny stood, preparing to leave. "You know, that was none of your damn business. Lori wants to keep her baby, that's up to her... I can't believe you said that."

"It's just gonna die like the rest of us."

Penny could think of a million things she wanted to say, some her father would not be pleased to hear she'd said but she refrained. Instead, she merely shook her head in disappointment. "Eat your food Beth," she settled with, closing the door behind her.

-8-

In her emotion-ruled state, Penny had made it to the stables. In the past week, she'd spent more time out there than she wished to account for. She passed her horse and Ruby made a noise of discontent as Penny only paused in her stride long enough to run a hand down the mare's mane. The blue plastic was in the same position as Penny had left it the previous night. She pulled it back, revealing the bike beneath and reached out a hand to tenderly wipe a speck of dirt from the now straightened handlebars. She then pushed the same hand into the pocket of her jeans to retrieve the small silver key resting inside before throwing a leg over the bike, straddling it.

"Ya actually gonna ride that thing today?" Daryl asked as he walked towards Penny who was hovering the key above the ignition but hadn't actually got around to putting it in yet. She didn't even glance at the man beside her as she answered.

"Maybe."

Daryl glanced at her still hesitating with the key, as he placed his crossbow on the floor. He knew why she was being hesitant about riding it, even if she'd never told him specifics. She needed time to work out her issues with it but maybe she also needed that little push in the right direction… Penny looked up at him as Daryl plucked the key from her hand and placed it into the slot. She couldn't even bring herself to glare at him for interfering in her moment. A lot had changed in seven days.

_Daryl glared after Penny as she walked away. What the hell was that about? Flipping out over some bike. Except she hadn't really flipped out- she'd acted like it never existed. But what did he care whether some girl wanted to obsess over scrap metal? …Except she wasn't just 'some girl' anymore- not since her family had become part of the group and he cared about his group. _

Penny had gone back to the stables that night, not intending to check on the bike that she hadn't paid attention to in months but finding herself doing so anyway. So when she found the handlebars straightened almost perfectly she didn't know whether to be completely pissed or a little grateful. The anger had won. Logically she knew that she wasn't mad as much as embarrassed and a little hurt that someone had encroached on her property. All Penny wanted was her privacy back. In her typical fashion, she hadn't hesitated in storming over to Daryl's make-shift camp, knowing for a fact that no one else knew about the bike or had the downright rudeness to actually touch it.

"_I told you it was none of your business, but you just couldn't help yourself could you?" she called once she was close enough, her voice sharp and biting rather than merely screaming at him. "Always having to involve yourself in things that don't concern you." She was talking crap, even she knew that. Daryl never involved himself in anything if he didn't have a reason to. _

_The man in question stood to face Penny as she got closer. He could feel his own anger rising to respond to hers but through sheer stubbornness, this time he refused to let it take over. The way he had acted with Carol, when he'd almost raised a hand to her, he wouldn't let it happen again. "The hell does it matter if I fixed it up? Did yer a favour."_

"_A favour I didn't ask for, nor want. It's my property Daryl," Penny responded, vaguely aware of her arms moving in wild gestures, showing her irritation. "It's not another little toy for you to play with when you get bored. You've got your own shit to screw with, stay the hell off mine." She'd turned to walk away, having made her point but Daryl wasn't having that. So he'd straightened her handlebars and now she was making him feel like an idiot for it. Why was it such a big deal?_

"_Hey, what's yer problem? It's just a fuckin' bike."_

_She stopped in her tracks, back still turned to him. He'd expected her to turn back, give him hell for saying that but she hadn't; she'd merely straightened her slumped shoulders and walked away again. _

Looking at the bike now and knowing what he did, Daryl understood Penny's reaction because he could relate. Well mostly. And now he'd developed a kind of friendship with the opinionated farm girl. Daryl would never say 'bonded' or anything close but they'd… connected over a mutual love for family- more specifically, brothers. Because the bike had belonged to hers, to Shaun, and so the protectiveness she felt for it, he completely understood.

He'd gone looking for Rick the next day, something to do with Randall-watch-duty, but he found her first sitting on the porch. She'd stood up as he climbed the steps and he barely spared her a glance. She'd thought he would walk straight past her but something about the way she had looked at him made him stop, against his better judgement; he hadn't been in the mood for an argument but she hadn't looked like she wanted one either.

"_I talked to Lori earlier…" Penny began. Her gaze diverted down to her hand, currently picking at the flaking paint covering the porch railing. Daryl had no idea where she could take that sentence, what Lori could possibly have told her to make her not as aggressive. "She mentioned your brother. I always wondered about that bike o' yours. Makes so much damn noise but you still ride it."_

_Daryl glanced up at her from under his lashes, still debating whether to just carry on into the house and see if Rick was there but Penny looked back at him for just a moment and the corners of her mouth twitched upwards. He didn't understand how her knowing about his bike being Merle's –since that was obviously what she was getting at- helped at all._

"_I'm still not happy that you touched mine but if anyone had a chance of understanding, strangely, it would be you."_

"_Understanding what?" he finally spoke._

"_Keeping your brother's memory alive."_

Despite allowing Daryl to fix the rest of the bike and being there while he did so, Penny hadn't actually ridden it yet- something Daryl was getting increasingly impatient about. She looked up at Daryl as he stood back before reaching out to turn the key in the ignition, the headlights and indicator light immediately blaring. Penny smiled as she recognised the familiar action. Putting it into neutral was another thing- Penny hadn't been great at starting it in the past and then she'd had Shaun there. Gaining confidence when the green neutral light flashed up, she pressed the start button and the rumbling engine noises filled the air but the volume wasn't what Penny was expecting and she immediately switched the key back to the 'off' position. Daryl narrowed his eyes in question but Penny just shook her head, about to pull the keys back out when Daryl's hand covered it.

"Jus' do it," He told her, not unkindly. He removed his hand and Penny considered doing what he said until someone calling her name echoed through the stables. She climbed off the bike immediately and walked to the stable door, reaching it just as Andrea did.

"Penny, Lori asked me to find you. She needs you at the house."

"What for?"

The blonde shook her head. "She didn't say but it sounded urgent."

-8-

"What the hell were you thinking?" Beth didn't so much as glance at her oldest sister as she stood at the end of the bed, visibly furious. "Lori catches you hiding a knife and you don't have anything to say? Don't just sit there Beth, look at me!"

The younger girl raised her head casually, as if the action was too tiresome to carry out. She met Penny's gaze with blank, uncaring eyes. She made no attempt to talk, to explain her actions. It truly felt, and looked, like she'd given up. Penny gripped the bed rail, needing some sort of grounding just as Maggie walked in. The two eldest sisters looked to one another.

"Lori told me," Maggie stated as she moved to the bedside. "Are you crazy? What if Dad found out?"

"What's he gonna do, kill me for committing suicide?" Beth responded coldly.

Maggie moved to sit on the bed. "Stop being such a brat. He'd die… so would we."

"You know, this isn't just about you. We all lost Mom," Penny spoke next.

Beth glanced between her older sister's, seeing the concern for her there. "We'll lose each other and I couldn't stand that."

"So you just give up?" Maggie pressed.

"It's easier than living like this!"

"Do you even know the meaning of suicide?" Penny scoffed, leaning forward over the rail slightly. "Do you actually understand it or is this just some kinda cry for help? Making us all terrified that you're gonna kill yourself when it's the attention you're after!"

Beth glared, the most emotional response she'd given since she woke up. "You don't understand! None of you do!"

"Of course we do-" Maggie began but was quickly cut off as the conversation volume escalated, turning into a full argument.

"Are you kidding me? What part of _we all lost them_ do you not get?"

"What do you care?! You don't even want to be here! That's why you're out of here every chance you get!"

"Oh so now _I'm _abandoning you too?! Stop being so selfish, the world does not revolve around you! You're sixteen Beth; you don't even know what the world looks like!"

"I know that the only thing left out there is the dead!"

"Alright!" Maggie eventually yelled. "Penny just back off a second," she said before turning back to the youngest girl. "But she's right… Mom would be ashamed to know she'd raised such a coward. What about Dad, Beth?" she asked, trying a calmer approach than Penny had opted for.

Beth's turned her glare onto Maggie. "He's clueless, he had us waiting on a cure."

"He knows he was wrong."

"When has Dad ever admitted he was wrong? He's just telling Rick's group what they wanna here."

"And Jimmy?"

"We went out for three months and now I'm married to him?"

"And Penny? …Me?" Maggie asked, close to tears. "I can't take another funeral."

Beth's expression softened into something close to sympathy. "You can't avoid it. What are we waiting for? …We should all do it." She looked between her sisters whose own expressions displayed their shock.

"What?" Maggie managed to respond.

"At the same time. Help each other."

"No," Penny's own reply shaking.

But Beth seemed to be gaining confidence, becoming frantic about it. "It's hard to do it, no one ever wants to but we could-"

"No, Beth stop talking like that-"

"It would be easy and then it would be our choice-"

"Are you even listening to yourself-?"

The volume rose once more as the sisters began talking over each other in hysterical, short sentences. Maggie and Penny in their effort to calm Beth, make her see sense, started to crowd her; grabbing her hands only to have her pull them away. "-then all of this would be over. Or we'll be forced to do it when the farm, this house, is over-run. No one can protect us," Beth stated.

Penny snatched up her hand again, grasping it tightly as she watched both of her younger sisters hold back tears. "Honey, that is not true."

"Really? Rick will save his family. The rest of them too. We're alone. The three of us and Patricia with only Dad and Jimmy against a whole world of those things…" Beth replied, tightly holding one of Penny's hand in one of hers and Maggie's in the other. Her eyes jumped between their devastated faces. "I don't wanna be gutted. I wanna go, in this bed tonight, with the two of you beside me… Please."

The stunned silence that followed the youngest girl's plea lasted too long, each sister lost in their own mind. Penny stared at Beth as Maggie looked down to their joined hands. Penny could see it in Beth's eyes, how much she believed her own words, how much she wanted to leave this life and she couldn't stand it. She stood abruptly, dropping Beth's hand and whispering that she'd be right back before leaving the room. Downstairs she walked straight past Lori and Andrea and out onto the porch; she just needed air, the house felt too enclosed.

She could have been sat there for hours just staring over the land when Maggie sat down beside her. Noting the panic in her older sister's eyes as she abruptly faced her, Maggie reassured her.

"Andrea said she'd keep an eye on her."

Both women were silent again until Penny dared to bring up the topic too fresh on their minds. "What're we gonna do? We can't watch her twenty-four hours a day."

"Not sure," Maggie replied. "Penny… do you think maybe she's right? Not about the suicide but about us having no chance."

Penny took a minute to respond as she phrased what she wanted to say correctly. "I think that if we go around acting like there's nothing left for us, then there really won't be. But right now, we're safe. We got food, water, family..."

"But how long is that gonna last?"

"I don't know. But I don't think we're ready to give up yet."

Maggie linked her arm through Penny's, leaning into her side slightly. "Me either. Just wish Beth could see it like that… she was so serious about that, Penn."

Penny leant her head on Maggie's, "I know, but she'll get over it. Learn to live with it… we just gotta make sure she has the chance to."

"I'm gonna go check on her… see if she wants to eat or something."

Maggie stood up again and Penny smiled at her before she disappeared into the house. Penny sat quietly for a few moments more before following her sister's lead. She walked through the open door just in time to hear Maggie shouting Beth's name and banging on something… Penny sprinted up the stairs, two at a time, reaching Beth's room as Lori forced the bathroom door open. Maggie immediately went in and Penny rounded the door frame just as Maggie and Beth walked out.

"She needs bandages," Maggie told her as she pressed a hand on top of Beth's, attempting to stem the blood pouring down from a cut on her wrist. The younger girl was sobbing as she looked at the injury, apologising over and over- she didn't want to die anymore.

-8-

Penny stood watching as her father cleaned Beth's wrist before stitching it. They'd eventually tracked him down when they realised he had a right to know what was going on and that Beth would need something better than a bandage to fix the cut. It hadn't been too deep as she'd stopped when the pain got too much but she'd still managed to do some damage. Penny was going between being relieved that Beth wasn't going to try this anymore and complete white-hot rage towards Andrea for daring to leave Beth alone at her most vulnerable. If the cut had been a little deeper and Maggie hadn't found her in time… well, she didn't want to think about the possibility. It didn't matter that it hadn't happened; only that Andrea had allowed for the chance that it could have.

She looked to Lori, who was stood beside her. "Do you know where Andrea is?" Lori looked back at her before she answered, contemplating the best option to take.

"Are you gonna do something you'll regret?"

"Nope," Penny answered easily. "I won't regret it."

"Look, Penny, I know you're mad at her but-"

"My sixteen-year-old sister could've killed herself because _she_ left her alone. Do you know where she is?"

Lori looked at the younger woman for a long moment, "She's outside."

It was all too easy for Penny to find her after all since as soon as she stepped foot out of the door, Lori and Maggie close behind, and Andrea was making her way up to the house. Penny stood at the bottom of the porch steps causing Andrea to stop in front of her.

"Where were you?" Maggie called from the top but the older woman ignored her.

"I just heard, is she alright?" Andrea asked, glancing around Penny to Lori for a moment. "How bad is she?"

"It wasn't deep," Lori told her.

Andrea smiled. She actually smiled. Penny was practically shaking with anger as Andrea spoke. "She wants to live, she made her decision."

"She tried to kill herself!" Maggie called once more as she walked to Penny's side.

"No, she didn't," Andrea replied in the same arrogant, know-it-all tone and Penny's fists clenched.

"Yes she did. My father's stitching her wrist up right now!"

"She'll live." The patronising quality of the words was in Penny's eyes being directed at both of her sister's and she reached her breaking point. Just as Andrea tried to step around her, her hand flew from her side and connected with Andrea's cheek, the slap echoing around them.

"Don't you dare speak to my sister like that," Penny spoke, eerily calm. Andrea clutched her reddening cheek in shock as she stared back at the younger woman. "Never come near us again. Stay away from this house." With those final words, she turned her back and walked into her house.

Andrea looked between the other two women still outside as if she was expecting them to take her side but Maggie quickly shot her down. "She meant it and so do I. Stay away from my family."

Taking the hint this time, Andrea made her way back to her own camp but Lori stopped Maggie just before they could go inside. "I'm not gonna say she was right but Beth has made her choice. She wants to live and now she knows it… and sometimes you have to cross the line."

Maggie merely raised her eyebrows as if she really couldn't care less. "Maybe you should tell that to Penny… see what she has to say." Her words were met with silence and Maggie re-entered her home to join her family.

-8-

The situation with Beth had meant that most of the group hadn't had time to think about whether Rick and Shane had dealt with Randall. They'd left early in the morning, hoping to be back by nightfall so when in the late afternoon the car pulled up in front of the house, everyone was more than a little relieved. The relief wasn't long lasting. Rick and Shane exited the vehicle covered in blood which was worrying in itself but then they walked around to the trunk. The sight of Randall being lifted out, alive, was a shock no one was expecting. Mostly because they would have expected Randall's dead body to be brought back more than an alive and struggling one but also because no one had any idea what they were going to do now.

-8-

Daryl approached the porch slowly. He knew she'd be out there- she always was. Sitting alone on the top step, he spotted her and made his way over, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Penny knew he was there but with her head in her hands, she didn't acknowledge him.

"Hey," Daryl nudged her foot with the handle of his crossbow, causing her to finally look up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Penny asked cautiously.

"Some place else. Got somewhere to show ya."

"Daryl, it's gonna be dark soon."

Truthfully enough, the sky was beginning to turn into the soft colours of the evening as the sun began to set. It went without saying that going out when you couldn't see anything was beyond idiotic, even if you were with Daryl Dixon.

"Won't be out long… jus' come on," Daryl insisted and began to walk away. Throwing her house one last look, Penny did the one thing she probably shouldn't have and followed right after him, jogging slightly to catch up. However, when they reached the lakeside, all former reservations left Penny's mind. The place was stunning. The silence was soothing and the sky cast beautiful reflections in the water. The pair sat on the edge of the small wooden dock, Penny's bare feet were making soft circles on the surface of the water while Daryl sat completely still beside her.

"They're gonna kill him. Aren't they?" Penny questioned, breaking the silence. "Randall, I mean."

"That a problem wi' you?"

"Not as much as it should be," Penny replied. "You know, death it's everywhere. Literally. If killing him is the price to keep my family safe then… so be it."

"How's yer sister doin'?" Daryl asked, changing the subject but Penny just shrugged.

"She wants to live. That's always a good thing. Can't say I would object to it being Andrea they were lining up for execution right now."

"Hey, she might not'a gone about it in the right way… but she helped if you like it or not."

"She was supposed to look after her, not let her slit her wrist. Let's just talk about something else, please." But it seemed neither were in the mood for talking as they both took to just enjoying their surroundings before they had to go back. Daryl kept his crossbow right beside him at all times and occasionally his hand would brush across it, making sure it was still there but nothing came to disrupt them. Until Daryl pointed out something skimming across the water's surface. Penny involuntarily shrieked and scrambled back as she recognised it, forcing Daryl to react by putting his hand over her mouth; his eyes swept through the trees around them waiting to see if the noise had attracted undead company. Once he'd declared them safe enough, he removed his hand and Penny glared at him even if it did go unnoticed. The rather large and hairy, eight legged beast was still waiting in the water undisturbed as Daryl reached a hand in and splashed some water in its direction.

Penny grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop as the spider moved. "Don't," she ordered, firmly.

"Jus' a water spider. Ain't nowhere near us, relax."

"Really, please don't," Penny resorted to begging as Daryl tried to pull his arm out of her surprisingly strong grip.

"So dead people walk around an' you're still scared o' spiders?" Daryl asked.

"Terrified."

"Yeh live on a farm."

"And?" Penny threw back. "In high school, this guy I was dating… his friend thought it'd be hilarious to put a spider in my hair. Wasn't so hilarious when I had a panic attack 'cause no one would get it out."

"Still… don't yeh gotta see 'em everyday?" Daryl questioned and Penny couldn't help but laugh lightly at how bewildered he seemed with her fear.

"Yeah… try to avoid them though. Sorry but we're not all cross-bow wielding tough guys," she told him. "Some of us do have redeeming qualities."

"Huh, clearly."

As the sky began to darken, Daryl led the way back to farm. They passed Rick and Hershel as they stood outside the barn where the newly returned Randall had been locked up again, awaiting his fate. Daryl walked Penny up to the house, making some snide remark about not wanting her to pass out if she saw an insect. They reached the porch and Penny turned to face Daryl.

"Thanks, for taking me." But Daryl's earlier slightly more talkative mood had dissipated, leaving the silent man she'd come to know. He nodded once and Penny just smirked. "Goodnight, Daryl."

* * *

**Hey! Been a while… a lot has happened in my little absence but most importantly- season 3 first half. Wow. Then the mid-season finale ending… they're deliberately trying to kill me. So anyways, since I'm so in love with season 3, thought I'd give you a little preview of the stuff I've been writing for it (I'll do review replies personally via pm this time). These are two little snippets from my Killer Within episode… Just over 400 words altogether so not long but if you haven't watched the ep yet then I wouldn't recommend reading them since SPOILERS. ALSO, my Rick/OC story is up and chapter 2 should be posted in a few days so check out Apocalyptic Deceptions if you're interested! Thanks for reading!**

**Previews: contains spoilers for season 3, episode 4**

Penny stumbled to a sudden stop as she heard more groans approaching them front the front causing Carol and T-Dog to almost crash into her. Four more walkers rounded the corner and easily spotted their prey. Penny pulled the trigger of her gun but nothing happened except a faint click. This was not the time to run out of ammo. She reached into the back holster to retrieve her second handgun but it wasn't there. The walkers were right in front of her now and when the same clicks sounded from the other guns, Penny pulled the knife from her belt and ran forward, grabbing the back of the head of the first walker and plunging the blade through its eye.

Removing the knife, she threw the body to the floor and turned to the second just as its hand was inches away from her forearm. Using it to her advantage, she seized the rotten limb with her left hand and pulled it towards her. The walker was a lot taller than her and so she used her right, knife still in her grip, to take a hold of its neck too, turning to slam it against the wall and removing her hand to sink the knife through its temple.

She had been about to turn to the third, aware that she was the only one with a working weapon. A rush of air was the only warning she got before T-Dog charged towards the remaining two, who were uncomfortably close to Penny, and shoved them into the far wall. He held them there with his arms outstretched and screamed at them to go. He had seconds before those things would tear into him. Penny had seconds to decide what to do.

* * *

He could see her visibly relax as she looked at him before practically throwing herself across the space separating them, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck and leaning into him heavily. Daryl had no choice but to support her, wrapping his own arms around her waist but at that moment he didn't care; he couldn't focus past anything but the way she felt in his arms, all memories of their argument gone now that she was safe.

"Daryl," Penny whispered, her voice cracking with emotion as she buried her face into his chest. "I lost them."

T-Dog and Carol.

"S'not your fault Penny," he told her knowing how hard she would take this on herself. She didn't have a chance to respond to him though as a small cry sounded, breaking into their reunion.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 –

Daryl panted heavily as he paced up and down in front of Randall, eyeing the younger male as if he were some sort of predator. Unexpectedly, Daryl's fist flew out to connect with Randall's jaw, knocking him from his chair and adding to the many other bruises and gashes covering the boy's face. Randall whimpered as he tried to look for the next blow through the one eye that wasn't swollen but only succeeding in gaining another. He spat the blood from his mouth after another hit.

"I told you-" he began but Daryl wasn't messing around. He half-picked Randall up by the collar of his shirt and slammed him into the wall of the barn.

"You ain't told me shit!"

"I barely knew those guys!" Randall insisted, eager to stop the beating. If Daryl wanted him to talk, he would. "I met 'em on the road."

"How many in your group?" Daryl questioned, staring at him in distaste.

Randall sighed, not wanting to say anything. It would look worse for him either way. His eyes widened though as Daryl slowly slipped his knife from his belt and that was all Randall could focus on. "No, no, no, no! Come on man!" Daryl paid him no attention. He lunged forward, aiming the knife at Randall's injured leg before changing course at the last second and stabbing into the floor beside him.

"How many?" he demanded.

"Ah… Thirty! Thirty… thirty guys," Randall answered, knowing that the hard-faced man in front of him would not hesitate to put the blade through his flesh the next time.

"Where?" and when the boy hesitated, Daryl ripped the fresh bandage covering the still-healing wound, from his skin causing Randall to cry out in pain again.

"Ah, I don't know! I swear!" He spat through clenched teeth. "We were never any place more than a night."

Daryl wasn't happy with the answer. He slowly placed the tip of his knife on the scabbed wound. "You scouting?" He growled. "Planning on staying local?"

"I don't know, they left me behind," Randall whined.

"Ever pick off a scab?" Once Daryl's attention was once again on his leg, Randall began pleading with him.

"Man, I'm trying to co-operate!"

"You start real slow at first," Daryl glared at the visibly terrified Randall. "But then you just gotta rip it off."

Randall groaned, finally realising that he was going to have to talk. "Okay! Okay," He began. "They… they had weapons. Heavy stuff… automatics." Daryl's grip on his leg tightened as the knife pressed down. "I didn't do anything!" Randall cried in response.

"Your boys shot at my boys. Tried to take this farm," Daryl snarled. "And you just went along for the ride. Tryna tell me your innocent?"

"Yes! Yes. These people took me in," Randall finally gave in. "Not just guys, a whole group of 'em!" Daryl stood up. "Erm, men and women. Kids too, just like you people. Thought I'd have a better chance with them, you know? But… we'd go out, scavenge. Just the men. One night we found this little camp site… A man and his two daughters. Teenagers, you know- real young. Real cute." Daryl had just turned away only to look over his shoulder as he heard the last part. Randall had almost sounded like he was bragging. "The Daddy had to watch while these guys, they…" he hesitated but the implication was clear. "And they didn't even kill him afterwards. Just made him watch and his daughters, they just left 'em there."

Randall was looking down at the floor as Daryl's expression transformed in to something much more dangerous. When the younger boy looked up again, he caught it and immediately tried to defend himself.

"No, but… but I didn't touch those girls! I swear, I didn't-"

Daryl swiftly struck out, landing his boot on Randall's injured leg, causing him to cry out once more.

"Please… you gotta believe me man. I'm not like that. I ain't like that," he whimpered. The only response he received was another blow to his leg.

-8-

"So what'cha gonna do?" Lori asked Rick, referring to Randall as most of Rick's group, with the addition of Penny and Maggie, stood around their small camp fire. "Think we'd all feel better if we knew the plan."

"Is there a plan?" Andrea cut in and Penny gritted her teeth to stop herself from biting back at the blonde. Her attitude hadn't gotten any better since the previous day and Penny was starting to regret that she had merely slapped her.

"Are we gonna keep him here?" Glenn asked next and Rick glanced around at them all.

"We'll know soon enough," he nodded his head towards something and so the rest turned to see Daryl walking towards them. Penny almost rolled her eyes to see that the crossbow was still strapped to his back before she focused on him properly. The fact that he wore a long-sleeved shirt wasn't as surprising as the sight of his knuckles covered in blood, looking to be a mix of his own and someone else's.

"Boy there's got a gang," he began. "Thirty men. Got heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead and our women," Daryl paused. "They gonna wish they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked him in her familiar soft tone.

"Had a little chat."

Penny frowned when he caught her eye after he'd already avoided Carol's. It was obvious what he'd done and he didn't need to be judged for it- it was for the good of the group because he wanted to be useful, this much Penny was sure of. She hadn't seen the side of Daryl that Carol had once witnessed though; the slightly less stable and more violent side.

"No one goes near this guy," Rick announced.

"Rick, what are you gonna do?" Lori asked once more.

The leader paused for a moment, regretting what he was about to tell them but knowing it was necessary. "We have no choice, he's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat." Penny shared a concerned glance with her sister, not because she herself was opposed but because she didn't know where Maggie stood. One look told her she didn't truly know.

"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale asked, clearly appalled.

"It's settled," Rick blew him off. "We'll do it today."

As Rick walked away and the group dispersed, Penny reached out to stop Maggie. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I don't know."

-8-

It seemed Dale was the only one taking action against Rick's decision. He was intent on speaking to each individual, as many as he could, to try to get them to see sense; that executing another person was wrong. Penny had just arrived back from the chicken coop, a fresh basket of eggs was now placed in the kitchen and Dale took the opportunity to speak to her as she re-emerged from the house. She'd been planning to go to the stables. They needed prepping for the colder weather coming in but upon seeing Dale Penny simply sighed and stood at the bottom of the steps, waiting for him to reach her.

The two hadn't had much interaction in the time they'd known each other but Dale was aware of how much influence the eldest of Hershel's daughters had, at least in her own family. He also knew she'd been speaking to Rick and Daryl and so counting her as an ally could only go in his favour.

"What can I do for you, Dale?" She called out, trying not to seem impatient as she knew exactly what he was looking for.

"I wondered if you and I could have a little talk," Dale replied, pleasantly. He smiled and Penny knew that she wouldn't say no to him, so instead she sighed a little and resigned herself to it.

"Sure," she smiled in return, if only slightly uncomfortably.

"Walk with me."

As they passed by the group camp, passed the final tent and the short grouping of trees, it was obvious where they were headed. There was only one thing in that direction and that was Daryl's little set-up. Neither had said a word since setting off and Penny was starting to feel awkward in the older man's presence, wishing he would say what he wanted to already.

"So what did you wanna talk about?"

Dale looked as if he were contemplating his words before he spoke. "Your brother, Shawn. How old was he?"

Penny was startled for a moment, wondering why Dale would speak of him. "He was about to turn 18," she answered cautiously.

"And Beth. She's 16, right?"

Penny stopped walking as she turned to face Dale properly and he halted in response. "Where are you going with this?"

"I know how much you care for your siblings. About your family," Dale responded. "You're trying to protect them, and I understand that, but Randall. He has no one to look out for him. I bet he's barely any older than Shawn or Jimmy."

Penny laughed in astonishment. "Look if you think bringing up my dead brother is gonna make me help you… it won't," she replied, tempted to turn around now and head back to the house. She didn't need the reminder of her siblings thrown at her when she was trying to hold on to her own justifications over the issue.

Dale raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't mean to offend you. I'm just trying to help you to see that Randall is just a boy. He doesn't deserve to die. Not like this."

"None of my family deserved to die and yet it happened. Why is this any different?"

"Because this time you have the chance to help," Dale exclaimed, taking a step closer to Penny who frowned at his words. "You can change the outcome."

"I think you're overestimating me," Penny replied, shaking her head slightly.

"No, not at all. I've seen the position your hold in your family," Dale told her. "They look to you-"

"They look to my Dad," Penny interrupted.

"And to you."

"I have no influence on them. Talk to my Dad. He's the one you want," Penny once again tried to walk away until Dale's words stopped her again.

"But it's not just your family. I've seen you talking to Rick-"

"Rick talks to everybody. That doesn't mean he'll listen to me."

"And Daryl. You've been spending time with him too."

"Daryl doesn't listen to any one."

"I bet he'd listen to you. Him and Rick. They respect you, Penny," Dale told her, sincerely. Penny frowned, sighing in frustration. It felt like everything she had to say, there was a valid excuse for but she still didn't think he was right. How could she convince others that it wasn't right to execute Randall if she didn't believe it herself? He was a threat to her family, her home, it wasn't right for him to stay. And to bring up her family was one thing; maybe she could talk to them but Rick and Daryl? They wouldn't listen to her but it was suddenly very obvious why they were headed in Daryl's direction. She was expected to back Dale up and convince Daryl but if there was one thing she'd learned about that man, it was that he only did things if he wanted to do them. Everything else, he was extremely indifferent about.

"Look Dale, I'm sorry. Respect only gets you so far," Penny spoke and as Dale opened his mouth to retort, she cut him off. "I know that you believe you're right, but I don't. My family comes first and Randall is a threat to them-"

"But we don't know that!"

"And I don't wanna risk finding out. You heard what Daryl said about the other group. I'm sorry Dale, but I'm sticking with Rick on this one," She smiled sadly in apology as she turned back to walk to the house, no more confident in her decision than before. She didn't want to be this person. The one who could went along with the hard decisions, the immoral ones, for selfish agenda.

Despite the fact that everything Penny had told Dale was true, there was still that feeling of uncertainty which was understandable given that it was a person's life they were debating. The decision couldn't be made lightly and maybe if she'd been given more time to think about it, she could be swayed because everything Dale said about her siblings was true. Was she herself not thinking only a week ago how similar Randall was to Shawn and how she hoped someone would have treated him right if it were him in that situation? The difference was she knew her brother would never have gone along with raping innocent girls, killing people… then again, a month ago she wouldn't have thought she was capable of killing someone and yet here she was, willing to give her permission. But the fact was that she was too caught up in wanting her own family safe that all of her doubts would be swept aside. She would go along with the execution of a young boy simply because she couldn't see another option. It was either Randall died or someone she loved- and that decision was the easy one.

-8-

The sun had finally begun to set meaning it was time for the final decision. Rick had everyone gather in the sitting room but no one spoke a word, instead the silence was suffocating. Penny sat in between Maggie and her father on the couch. Maggie was biting her nails, something she rarely did anymore apart from when her nerves got the better of her, as she leaned back looking like she would rather be anywhere but there. Penny resisted the urge to knock her hand from her mouth like she used to do, knowing it wasn't really the place for childish bickering.

Carl however seemed to be the only one who actually wanted to be involved. Despite his parents' urging him to stay with Jimmy and Beth, the boy stepped in to the room once more gaining the attention of most until Rick's hard stare finally made him leave permanently. It was sad really to see a twelve-year-old so eager to become an adult and make the heavy decisions. Once he was gone, people started to become restless, wanting it over but at the same time not wanting to do anything. Maggie stood after a minute of remaining uncomfortable and Glenn glanced at her once before deciding he would be the first to talk.

"So how do we do this?" He asked, awkwardly. "Just take a vote?"

"Does it have to be unanimous?" Andrea questioned in the same manner.

"Well, majority rules…" Lori answered softly and somehow everything just felt even worse. They were laying down rules about the right way to do it when really there wasn't a right way and it just made everything more complicated. Penny sighed quietly as she stood from the couch, walking around it to instead sit on the window ledge, just looking outside for a second as if it held all the answers.

"Let's just see where everyone stands, then we can talk through the options," Rick finally spoke.

"Well the way I see it, there's only one way to move forward." In a different situation, Penny would've scoffed at the way Shane so casually stated it. He stood front and centre with his fingers tucked through his belt loops, acting as if this truly didn't bother him.

As it happens, Dale was the one to scoff instead. "Killing him, right?" He stated more than questioned. His judging eyes roamed over nearly everyone in the room and there was barely one person who could meet his gaze. "I mean why even bother to take a vote; it's clear which way the wind's blowing."

"If people believe we should spare him, I wanna know," Rick replied firmly.

Dale visibly deflated. "Well I can tell you, it's a small group. Maybe just me and Glenn." Immediately the attention shifted towards the younger man who sat in front of the piano, his leg bouncing from the nerves. He looked up slowly after Dale mentioned him and he looked truly apologetic.

"I think you're pretty much right about everything all the time but this-"

"They've got you scared!" Dale protested.

"He's not one of us," Glenn argued. "And we've lost too many people already."

Dale was momentarily thrown but turned to his next target- Maggie. "Well what about you?" He asked her. "Do you agree with this?" Penny had to admit to being curious to the answer as well. If she knew her sister like she thought she did, then Maggie would never outwardly agree to it. Maggie looked at Dale for a second before looking back to Rick.

"Could we continue to keep him prisoner?" She deflected.

"Be just another mouth to feed," Daryl answered as he stood back from the main circle a little, leaning against the wall. It was a little surprising to hear him speak up and his voice was uncharacteristically soft. Penny stared at him for a moment longer, almost subconsciously, but he must have felt it as he looked up from the floor and met her gaze.

"He's right, there's already enough people here," Penny felt the need to agree, gaining a small nod from Daryl.

"And it may be a lean winter…" Hershel added.

"We could ration better," Lori suggested.

"Well he could be an asset!"

Once again it felt like they were just going around in circles. People suggested putting him to work, giving him an escort and maybe that would work but Lori wouldn't feel safe. They couldn't keep him in chains like some kind of animal but how would they benefit from having him locked in a shed? They let him out; allow him the chance to become one of them but then what if he uses that chance to bring back his thirty men?

"So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime he may never even attempt?" Dale asked, clearly appalled. "If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead, there is no civilisation."

"Oh my god," Shane muttered but in fairness to Dale, Penny could see his point. Killing Randall could turn out to be something they'd regret if he happened to be a decent guy but that was taking a huge risk- one that most people in the room seemed to agree wasn't worth it.

"If you go through with it," Patricia suddenly spoke. "How would you do it?" Penny glanced at the older woman for a moment, frowning in surprise. She hadn't expected Patricia to get involved, much less ask a question like that. "Would he suffer?"

"Could hang him, right? Snap his neck," Shane offered.

"I thought about that," Rick admitted. "Shooting may be more humane."

"Well, what about the body?" T-Dog asked. "Do we bury-"

"Hold on, you're talking like it's already been decided!"

Penny sighed again in frustration, finally standing up from the window. "All we're doing is saying the same thing anyway."

"Yeah, we've been talking about it all day," Daryl cut in as he paced in a small circle himself. "You just wanna go around in circles again?"

"This is a young man's life we're talking about!" Dale exclaimed, glancing between the two. "And it is worth more than a five minute conversation." Penny had the decency to look away at that, knowing how heartless they both must have sounded. "Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with them?" He looked to Rick. "You saved him! And now look at us. He's been tortured," Daryl subconsciously rubbed his knuckles. "He's gonna be executed! How are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?"

No one seemed to have an answer and more arguments broke out as people tried to make it less complicated but despite asking for other solutions, there didn't seem to be one that didn't have some kind of consequence that would affect the group. Carol eventually spoke up, asking for a decision to be made but claiming that she wanted no part in it. Dale shot her down immediately, saying that there was no difference between her staying silent and killing the boy herself which seemed to outrage many in the room until Rick regained control.

"Any one wants the floor before we make the final decision has the chance."

Patricia and Maggie sat back down and Penny moved to once more lean against the window ledge, none of them having anything else to say and it seemed the same was true for everyone else.

"You once said that we don't kill the living," Dale told Rick.

"That was before the living tried to kill us."

"But don't you see, if we do this, the people that we were, the world that we knew is dead!" Dale responded. "And this new world is ugly, it's harsh, it's survival of the fittest! And that's a world I don't wanna live in. Please," He begged, tears beginning to pool in his eyes. "Let's just do what's right. Isn't there anybody else that's gonna stand with me?"

Another silence ensued until Andrea stepped forward. "He's right. We should try to find another way." But despite this, Penny couldn't help but think Andrea only agreed because she hated seeing Dale that way- so upset and alone. She was trying to support him even though she knew there was no other solution and her opinion wouldn't really matter in the end as no one else seemed to be willing to admit they agreed.

"Anybody else?" Rick asked around and after a minute with no responses, he finally turned back to Dale, making a slight motion with his head as if to tell his that was it. Dale shook his head in almost disgust and definite disbelief as he looked at the people he thought he knew.

"Are you all gonna watch too?" He questioned, his eyes truly filling with tears now. "No, you'll go hide your heads in your tents and forget that we're slaughtering a human being. Well I won't be party to it." He began to walk out of the room but stopped as he passed Daryl, placing a hand on his shoulder. "This group is broken."

-8-

Penny sat beside Beth on the edge of her bed as she watched her younger sister sleep. Night had fallen and Penny knew that it would be happening soon. She'd tried to keep herself busy by taking care of Beth but her mind was always in a different place. Now, alone with her own thoughts, she just needed the peaceful innocence that usually came with her youngest sister. She was almost tempted to wake her up, to just talk to her like they used to do late at night before Penny had moved out but she looked so calm that it felt like a sin to do so.

After a while, Hershel's voice travelled through the thin walls as he asked Patricia where she and Maggie were. Patricia must have answered a lot quieter as Penny couldn't hear her but Hershel stepped in to the room a moment later. She looked up to her father and he smiled softly in return before taking a seat in the small chair in front of Penny.

"Have they done it?" Penny whispered. She hadn't heard the shot but maybe they'd chosen a different method after all; hanging would be quieter… as soon as the thought entered her head, Penny felt a brief shock at just how easy it was to consider ways to kill people. It shouldn't be easy.

"I don't know," Hershel answered honestly, looking as blank as Penny felt. She wished he'd take her hand or something as she needed the support but maybe her father did too. She ran a hand through her hair before tucking a lock behind her ear and then wiped a finger under her eye to just do something.

"Dale was right," Penny spoke again a moment later, frowning. "Wasn't he? We're not the same people." Hershel sighed, unable to answer her. Instead he reached out and took one of Penny's hands in his, squeezing it slightly. "We're just sitting here while someone's just been killed or is about to be killed and the best of it is I don't even wanna do anything about it. I actually think killing someone is the right thing to do… when did that happen, Dad?"

Hershel looked away from his daughter, wondering the exact same thing. A month ago he was a man of religion and that's how he'd raised his children to be. He knew they weren't all as committed as he was but still, now they were all turning a blind eye to a young boy's murder. "I don't know," he repeated. The mood in the room was turning solemn as Penny closed her eyes for a brief moment- that wasn't what she'd needed to hear but then maybe it was naïve of her to expect her father to be able to make everything feel better this time. She removed her hand from his.

"I lied to you, Dad," Penny suddenly spoke. She didn't truly know why she was bringing it up but her actions in the past were suddenly insignificant after realising that death was very real right now. She should have known sooner after losing half of her family so recently but maybe it was because she was playing a hand in someone's death that nothing else really mattered.

"About what?"

Penny met his eyes again and Hershel was shocked to see that she was almost smiling. "Remember the day that Daryl got hurt?" He nodded and Penny laughed at her own stupidity. "I knew what was gonna happen. I told you that Nelly was missing and then acted like I had no idea how but really, I was there," she told him. "I knew he'd taken her, in fact I let him. I stood there and watched him walk away because he'd pissed me off and then I lied to you about it."

When she was finished, Penny didn't sigh in relief because really nothing was solved. It didn't feel like a weight off her chest- it was an insignificant little moment that may have been stupid but suddenly didn't even matter anymore and Hershel found himself almost admiring her. The way she was speaking to him –so calmly and keeping eye contact- made him realise that she had grown up, again, in a matter of days. She may have already been an adult in age but now she was acting like one.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Hershel asked, a little curious. He'd actually forgotten about the whole event.

"I guess, with everything that's happening now, it's just put it all into perspective. I mean, I'm 25-years-old, Dad, and I lied to you about something like that because I was afraid you would scold me for it," Penny scoffed. "It was stupid and immature and now it doesn't even matter but it felt like if I didn't ever say anything, maybe I'd regret it someday," she paused. "This thing with Randall just made me realise that one minute you think you're safe and the next you could be about to die. And the world has always been like that; I just never considered it before," Taking another breath, Penny calmed herself before continuing. "But if something happened, I don't wanna go knowing that I kept things hidden from you, from Maggie, Beth… you just mean too much to me for that."

Hershel sat silently as she spoke, taking in her words; his eyes flickering between the way she would wring her hands together in her lap and her furrowed brow. She was scared. It was easy to see now, even if she didn't see it herself. What made it even worse was that he couldn't even reassure her. He couldn't tell her everything would be ok when he didn't know it himself. He'd lost too many people and seen for himself what the walkers could do. She was his daughter, he'd protect her with everything he had but what if the worst happened and that just wasn't possible anymore?

"Penny-"

"I just had to say it," Penny interrupted. "And I'm sorry. For that and for being a pain in your ass the whole time I've been here," she laughed.

"I'd already forgotten about it, Penny," he honestly replied. "I'm just glad you're home and not still in Atlanta."

Penny nodded. "Me too."

They each smiled slightly until Hershel spoke again. "Oh, one more thing," Penny looked at him curiously before he tapped her knee with the back of his hand. "Watch your language." Penny looked up in mock outrage, rubbing her knee. She knocked her father's leg with her own in retaliation before they settled into a quiet but comfortable silence until the front door opened, Maggie stepping in to the room a moment later.

"They didn't do it," she told them, lowering the atmosphere once more. "They didn't kill him."

-8-

Maybe it was because she was feeling much older and a little less fearful or maybe it was because for some reason, she suddenly wanted his company… For whatever purpose, Penny walked to the shed, wringing her hands together from the cold before tightening the thick, woollen cardigan she'd pulled on. Only the light behind her coming from the house showed the way but Penny was almost positive she could walk this path in complete darkness and still have no trouble. The door was open when she arrived; muffled cries were coming from inside as well as the sound of chains.

"Shut up," she heard Daryl angrily mutter and it was enough to make her hesitate for a second. If he was in a bad mood, maybe she should leave him be. And obviously Randall was inside too; she wondered how people would react to her going near him but it wasn't as if he could hurt her. She rounded the door just as Daryl finished securely the boy's arms above his head. Randall spotted her first. His eyes widened and he stopped struggling against his bindings, whether it was from recognition or just because she was a different face, she didn't know.

Daryl quickly followed his gaze. His reaction was unexpected, eyes narrowing in barely concealed anger. Penny visibly tensed but refused to flinch, instead she held her ground. Randall's whimpers began again and Daryl didn't hesitate to smack the back of his head, hard, causing the young boy to whine and Penny to raise her eyebrows. He ignored both, grabbing a small gas lamp and stalking out of the shed, making Penny step back enough for his to slam the door behind him.

"Ya shouldn't be out here," he growled, looming over her.

"Maggie told me," Penny replied, a little vaguely as she was suddenly reminded of how they used to act around each other.

"And ya what?" Daryl snapped again. "Came to check on him? Go back inside."

"Maggie told me you were out here," Penny once again didn't move, despite his efforts to intimidate her. "I came to see what happened."

"Don't matter. It ain't safe out here. Go back inside," he gestured towards her brightly lit house, looking as if he wanted to force her inside himself. His sudden concern was touching but telling her what to do wasn't.

Penny rolled her eyes, mockingly. "Careful Daryl, you might sound like you actually care."

"Just shut up and go inside Penny," Daryl retorted angrily and this time Penny did take a step back. She frowned at him but his back was already turned. She understood he was taking his anger out on her but what she didn't understand was why he was angry in the first place.

"Daryl…" she began but trailed off when she had nothing to say. She didn't want to anger him further but she'd gone out there to talk to him, not to give in and go back inside. He'd taken her away yesterday when she'd needed it; he'd shown her that there could still be a peaceful place in the middle of it. Whether that's what he'd intended was another matter.

But then suddenly it didn't matter what she was about to say. Panicked cries echoed through the air, not too far away, and Daryl immediately turned in that direction. He took off running and Penny didn't hesitate to follow. It didn't take him long to realise she wasn't waiting behind.

"Go back inside!" He yelled, not once slowing down or turning around but Penny didn't listen.

"No!" She shouted simply in reply before listening to the cries again. She hesitated but her mind wasn't running clearly, she couldn't think of anything other than following Daryl. This time he didn't try to stop her. They were headed for the outer fields and the cries were getting louder and were quickly followed by the same bloodcurdling snaps and groans that Penny had heard too many times. Daryl sped up and Penny pushed herself faster, ignoring the tightness in her chest. She could barely see anything around her and the darkness was intensifying every sense, intensifying her fear.

Suddenly there was a vicious tearing sound and the most terrifying screams of pain she'd ever heard, then she could see them. Two figures lying in the grass- one pinning the other to the ground with it's hands dug in to the person's stomach. She hadn't given thought to who it could have been in the panic to just get there, but now for some reason, she knew it could never have been anyone else.

Daryl lunged, knocking the walker to the floor as Penny dropped to her knees at Dale's side. He was gasping for air; eyes open wide from the shock. Penny couldn't stop the small cry that escaped her when she focused on the gaping hole in the centre of the older man's body. His abdomen was torn apart- insides all too visible, blood coated every inch and spilling to the grass beside him. She didn't know what to do and her head shook frantically as she could do nothing but stare helplessly at the dying man. From instinct Penny took off her cardigan as if it could be used to stop the bleeding somehow but the small part that was thinking rationally knew pressing down would cause more pain. Her trembling hands flitted just above but she couldn't do anything.

Looking up, Penny saw just as Daryl easily stabbed his knife into the walker's head, letting it drop back to the ground. "Daryl!" she cried, bringing his attention back to them but Penny's gaze turned back to Dale as he whimpered again. She found his eyes staring back at her, creased in agony.

"Hey! Over here!"

She barely registered Daryl's call for help and the answering cries. "It's ok," Penny whispered brokenly to Dale as he whined. Her hand blindly reached down and grasped his with every ounce of strength she could just to show he wasn't alone. "They're coming, it's ok. Just hold on." Her eyes were shining with tears when she heard the shouts and footfalls of others finally reached them.

Rick knelt beside her, placing his hands on Dale's face. "I got you, ok, we got you. It's gonna be alright." Andrea took his place as Rick stood, yelling for Hershel. Hands fell on to Penny's shoulders, a familiar voice urging her to move back but she couldn't- Dale's grip on her hand was too strong as he grasped for something to hold on to. Andrea tried to sooth him amidst the many shouts for assistance and once she'd gained his attention enough, his grip loosened and the hands pulled Penny up. Her back connected with a solid chest as a strong arm crossed over her chest and held firmly on to the opposite shoulder as if holding her back but she didn't need to be; she was completely frozen, staring wide-eyed.

"What happened?" Hershel asked as he finally reached Dale's side.

"What can we do?!"

"Can we move him?!"

"No," Hershel responded solemnly to Rick's question. "He won't make the trip."

"You have to do the operation here," Rick insisted. "Glenn, get back to the house-"

"Rick," Hershel shook his head. Cries erupted as the others realised there was no hope. They couldn't save him. Penny reached up to grip the arm still wrapped around her, turning her face into the denim clad shoulder behind.

"He's suffering," Andrea whispered as she watched Dale's face contort in agony. "Do something!" She begged Rick. He hesitated but despite his devastated expression, Rick drew his gun. He lined up the shot, aiming straight for Dale's forehead. He held it there, Dale continuing to choke for air through the pain, Andrea unable to look, but he couldn't pull the trigger. He kept adjusting his grip, trying to force himself to do the right thing.

The hand placed on Penny's shoulder gave a small squeeze before it released her. She was standing alone, staring at the group leader, unable to look at Dale any longer when Daryl appeared beside Rick. His hand replaced Rick's own as he gently slipped the gun from the other man's grip. Rick stepped back in silent gratitude and Daryl carefully knelt beside Dale's head. He raised the gun, aiming exactly as Rick had done. Dale stared right back at him down the barrel of the gun, as if he were begging for an end.

"Sorry brother," Daryl spoke softly before he pulled the trigger.

-8-

The fire crackled, sending sparks into the cold night air. The farm was quiet with only the chirping crickets and the occasional owl to disrupt it, while most of its occupants slept restlessly in the places they no longer felt completely safe. One member sat alone in the centre of their camp, a shotgun placed in his lap and his crossbow resting on the floor, against his leg. He'd wanted to take watch. He knew sleep wouldn't be reaching him that night. He simply stared in to the burning embers, waiting for the morning to come.

The door to the old farmhouse creaked gently open as a figure emerged but Daryl paid it no attention; he was lost in his own clouded thoughts. She took her place in the chair beside him, saying nothing, not looking for acknowledgement. They sat in silence- they could have been alone if it wasn't for the growing comfort being beside another was bringing. Penny looked to him, taking in the bright-blue, narrowed eyes and his blank expression. She didn't offer words of comfort, there wasn't a lot she could have said to make it any better and she knew him better than that- he wouldn't have listened.

Daryl's left hand lay motionless on the arm of his chair, the other gripping his gun tightly. He flinched as another hand, much smaller and smoother than his own, carefully slipped in to his. He was about to pull away, to order her back in to the house for daring to break his solitude but as he glanced to his left, he stilled. He could only make out her profile and the fire was casting shadows against the angles of her face but even in the dim light he could make out the single tear slowly leaking from the corner of her eye. He found himself glancing back at their joined hands. He didn't wrap his fingers around hers but somehow, he couldn't quite pull away either.

* * *

**Hello again, thanks for coming back. I'm currently editing the first 10 chapters of this. I think I've grown a lot as a writer since starting and reading this back, it's obvious how much better I can make it. No drastic changes but better pacing, improved grammar and character development. The first 3 chapters are done.**

**Recently made Polyvore account can be found on my profile. Example outfit for Penny's everyday wear as well as how I picture her, if you're interested.**

**Also, I listened to two songs whilst writing the very last little scene. **Andrew Belle – In My Veins. And Glass Pear- Wild Place. **Amazing songs, the first of which is going to pretty much be my soundtrack for the whole thing. **

**And finally, thanks to everyone who is still reading/fav/alerting. Shocks me when I get emails after not updating in months so thanks for that! Pleaseeeee review this one. Thank you!**

Reviews:

FanFicGirl10: I wish she'd done more to her too now that I think back at it. I originally had it with only Penny confronting Andrea but I wanted to involved Maggie too. Who knows, I may go back and make that scene a little more interesting! Thanks for reviewing!

Axarell: Yes! Your review made me smile. It was really irresponsible of her. Beth was 16-years-old. Maybe if it was an adult, who knows, maybe it would be different but leaving a suicidal teenager after saying you'd watch over her was completely out of order. When I watched the episode I wanted to wipe the stupid smile off her face. Beth cut her wrists and she was SMILING?! Gah, it made me furious. Lori was just trying to get back in her good books after everything Andrea had said earlier. They both annoyed me that episode too. Thank you for reviewing!

Emberka-2012: I agree, they couldn't babysit her. However if it was my younger sibling I would definitely want to do a lot more than slap Andrea for that. She said she would watch her and instead she allowed her to nearly kill herself. It was a stupid move but that's just my opinion! Thanks for reviewing again!

StardustIsMagic: Lol I'm glad you thought so but I can always count on you for amazing reviews so. The lake scene was possibly my favourite thing I've ever written and I'm not going to lie, I only did it because he'd taken Carol there. I think I told you once that I wanted complete symmetry between the two of them when it came to Daryl. Anyway, YOU are perfect babe. Thanks for reviewing!

Dalonega Noquisi: Erm, I was back for like a day? Sorry about that. I'm really excited for the future of this, especially now season 3 is over and I have a complete plan of where I'm taking Penny. Thank you for the review!

Padme4000: Well hello! You said your review was late but I'm never on time with like anything so… As always you didn't disappoint! Your reviews always make me happy. The bike thing… meh, it's just a tool to get them closer and I said in my reply above but I want complete symmetry between Carol and Penny so that's where the idea for the lake came from, though I loved writing it. Thank you for the review hun!

NormanReedusBitch: Review was for chapter nine but hey! Your review was probably my favourite I've ever received. Thank you. P.s. I LOVE your username!


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